Marauders and McGonagalls
by MinervaEvenstar
Summary: I ABANDONED this fic, but you're welcome to read it if you want. It's a romance about Lily, the Marauders, and McGonagall's nieces. I wrote this ages ago before I decided Sirius and Remus should be togather instead of with girls, like they are in this.
1. A Lost Jewel

chapter one **A lost Jewel**

Jessie McGonagall and Sapphire McGonagall were chatting in Sapphire's dorm on a rainy November night.

"Are you nervous about your O.W.L.'s?" Jessie asked. She was a slender fourth year with emerald eyes and raven hair that reached her knees, which she almost always wore in a ponytail. Her long hair was her trademark.

"Absolutely," Sapphire, who was a fifth year that stressed over almost everything, answered. Sapphire's trademark were her sapphire blue eyes. (Her parents named her Sapphire because of her eyes.) She was also known for her golden hair and curvy figure.

Jessie laughed at how predictable her older sister's answer was.

"It is no laughing matter," Sapphire told her. "They are all I ever think about."

"Surely you must think about _something_ else," said Jessie giving Sapphire a meaningful look.

"I suppose so," replied Sapphire. Jessie was referring to the huge crush Sapphire had on Remus Lupin since she was eleven. "Have you thought anymore about your crush, or should I say crushes, lately?" she asked Jessie.

Jessie sighed, "Yes, and I believe I finally know which one I like better. I would have picked sooner, but they are both in your year, so it was hard for me to get to know them."

"Do not keep me in suspense; is it Sirius or James?" Sapphire asked.

"James," replied Jessie. Sapphire's psychic Persian cat, Lupine, (named after Lupin) shook her head in disagreement, but neither one of them noticed.

"Jessie and James," mused Sapphire.

At that moment Sapphire's best friend and roommate, Stella Lation- a pretty brunette, came in. "Jesse James? Wasn't he some sort of Muggle outlaw?" The only answer she ever got to her question was Jessie and Sapphire's hysterical laughter.

Meanwhile the Marauders (except Peter, who was in the kitchen stuffing his fat face) were talking up in their dorms.

"Who are you going to ask to the dance?" James asked Sirius. Remus never dated because he thought no girl would accept him as a werewolf.

"I was thinking of asking Sapphire," Sirius replied. "After all, she is the most attractive student in our year besides me."

"You ought to steer clear of her since she is one of Professor McGonagall's nieces," said Remus the Prefect quickly.

"I like danger," replied Sirius. He and James could tell that Remus had liked Sapphire since their eyes met in first year (Peter was, as always, clueless), so Sirius had no real intention of asking her. He was simply trying to get Remus to admit how he felt. "Can you give me a better reason not to?"

"I would, however, I need to get to the library," Remus said and left. Sirius and James chuckled how shy Remus could be.

"You wanted to see me?" Jessie asked walking into her Auntie Minerva's office. She was surprised to see her sister and her cousin, a handsome fourth year in Ravenclaw named Blaise, were also there.

"Yes," Professor McGonagall answered grim-faced. "My sister-in-law is in the hospital; she had a heart attack last night." Her sister-in-law was, of course, Jessie and Sapphire's mother. Jessie had never been close with their mother; so she was not very upset. Sapphire, on the other hand, had a tight bond with her and was very hurt. Sapphire began to sob.

Blaise was protective of his cousins and he felt awful that one of them was upset and he could not do anything about it. "May I go, Mum?" he asked, not knowing what else to do.

Minerva nodded to her son and said to her nieces. "You two should go to Gryffindor Tower. You are excused from your classes for today."

Sapphire did go up to the common room, but Jessie went outside and sat by a tree near the lake.

"This is our spot," said James Potter coming over with his three mates. "But I guess you can stay here for today since your mum is ill."

"How did you know about that?" Jessie asked. She was surprised that he knew and slightly annoyed too.

"We have our ways," James replied mysteriously. That was one of James and Sirius' favourite sayings.

"Whatever," said Jessie. She could be very cold at times, even to the boy she had a crush on.

"Shouldn't you and your sister be together right now?" Remus asked.

"I don't know," Jessie replied honestly.

Sirius, surprisingly, was good friends with Sapphire and he didn't think that she would want to be alone during a time that must be hard for her. "I think I shall go see how Saphy is doing."

Jessie stood up. "No, I'll go," she said. Jessie was not going to let Sirius be alone with her sister when she was vulnerable because she knew about his reputation; Sirius may be attractive and funny, (or Jessie would never have liked him) however, he had done it with more girls than Jessie could count using all of her fingers and toes.

Soon Jessie returned to the boys and declared, "Sapphire is missing!"

"Are you positive?" Remus asked in concern.

"Affirmative; my broom is even gone, so she must have taken it and flown off somewhere! We need to find her!" Jessie cried.

James replied, "OK, don't panic. I have two broomsticks in my dorm we can use. You and Remus are both really light; one of you can ride with Sirius and the other one with me."

"I will go with you, Potter, since you are such a failure at flying," teased Jessie. She and James were both great chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and they had playful arguments about which one was better. In truth, James was a bit more talented than Jessie.

James just laughed and said, "Fine."

"Wha' 'bout me?" Peter asked with a mouthful of pumpkin pastries.

"You're too heavy," stated Sirius. Peter shrugged and continued eating.

In a few minutes the four of them were in the air. Jessie was very glad that it was a windy day because the wind was blowing her hair into her face and no one could see her blush as she held tightly onto James' waist.

They flew around until dusk and Sirius asked suddenly, "Does anyone know where the bloody hell we are?" They landed in a nearby field and looked around; wherever they were it wasn't a place that any of them recognized. Sirius whispered to Remus, "Moony, I don't think we're at Hogwarts anymore."

"We'll have to stay here for the night. I am sure we will be able to find our way back in the daylight," said a voice from behind that made all four of them jump. It was Sapphire.

"You had us all worried," said Sirius hugging her, which annoyed Remus.

"Yeah, so don't do it again," James and Jessie, said together.

"I won't, I just needed to clear my head," replied Sapphire. "By the way, did you miss me?" she asked Remus, hoping very much that he had.

"Of course I missed you," he replied softly. He had been so worried that "missed" was definitely an understatement.

Sapphire beamed. Next, all five of them fell asleep in a large circle together.


	2. Rem and His Gem

chapter two **Rem and His Gem**

Luckily it was a Saturday, so they missed no lessons, even though they could not find their way back to Hogwarts until 6:00 pm.

"A whole day of studying wasted," Sapphire, said as she sat with Remus in the common room doing homework. The others, especially Peter, had been staving; so they had gone down to dinner. "I need to study for the O.W.L.'s as much as possible."

"You need to relax. I'm sure someone as intelligent as you will do well," Remus told her honestly.

"That sounds like something my crush would say," said Sapphire. She had finally decided to let Remus know how she felt.

"Who might that be?" Remus asked, hoping that she could like him.

She replied, "He is a fifth year...in Gryffindor...in the room right now."

Remus looked around the common room; they were the only students there. Remus wanted to jump for joy, yet he calmly answered, "That's good because I happen to know that he cares about you too."

Lupine, who had been watching from the stairs the whole time, came down and gave Sapphire a look that said, _this would be an ideal time to kiss._

Sapphire smiled, leaned forward, and pressed her lips against his. Their kiss felt perfect to her somehow.

Remus gently slid his hand around Sapphire's waist and he knew that she was meant to be in his arms. Suddenly James cleared his throat to get their attention. Remus and Sapphire quickly broke apart and turned to face James, Sirius, and Jessie. (Peter was still eating.)

"Well we brought you dinner," said Sirius placing two plates on the table. "But it seems that you've already started on desert." Sapphire and Remus flushed, Jessie rolled her eyes, James grinned, and Sirius cracked up.

Weeks later, at the end of Christmas break, Sapphire asked, "Remmy, would you go ice skating with me?" as she looked out the window at the frozen lake while sitting with her boyfriend and cat in the common room.

"Sure, just not today," Remus answered.

"Why not? Are you feeling all right?" she asked worriedly. He looked pale and peaky.

"I'm fine," he replied. "James, Sirius, Peter and I have something to do in a little while, that's all." Tonight was a full moon.

"I don't mind that you spend time with them. In fact, besides Peter, I like them very much. It just bothers me that you won't tell me what you're doing," said Sapphire honestly.

Remus didn't want to tell Sapphire that he was a werewolf because she may hate him. He would not be able to handle losing her. Lupine began to tap Remus with her paw. He looked down at her and she gave him a look that said, _you could trust Sapphire._ Remus knew that Lupine was right. He lowered his voice so that no one else in the room could hear. "If you want to know what is going on I'll tell you; my friends are unregistered animagi and they became animagi because I'm a- a werewolf."

"Oh my God, I am so sorry," she gasped.

"For what? You're not the one that bit me," he said.

"I mean I apologize for all of the horrible things I've said," said Sapphire.

"You have never mocked werewolves," stated Remus.

"Yes I have; think about all of the times I've used the word "people." Doesn't that offend you since a werewolf technically is not a person?" she asked.

"Of course not," laughed Remus. "I even say people."

"Well, I am never going to use that term again," Sapphire, promised. She also promised to become an animagus herself so she could be with Remus during his transformations, but she did not tell Remus this. She would give it to him as a surprise once she mastered it.

"What are you going to say instead?" asked Remus with interest.

"Individuals," she answered. "And I suggest that you do the same."

"OK," Remus agreed. He thought that Sapphire was getting a bit carried away, but it meant the world to him that she cared.

"I won't wear silver anymore either," said Sapphire and she took off her sterling silver bracelet and put it in her purse at once.

That was good since Remus should not be around the metal. Still, Remus knew how much Sapphire loved her jewelry and most of it was silver. "You do too much for me," he said.

"I would do anything for you," she told him and she meant it.

Remus smiled; he took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. "I would do anything for you too," he replied with equal sincerity.

"Then will you promise me that from now on we'll tell each other everything?" asked Sapphire. He should have told her that he was a werewolf from the beginning and she didn't want them to keep important secrets from each other anymore. "Unless it's a surprise," she added thinking of herself becoming an animagus.

"I think that is a good idea," he said and they both kept that promise forever.

Minerva's Note: I thought this chappie was pretty cute. Anyways, review or be tickled! MUWHAHAHA!


	3. Truth or Dance

chapter three **Truth or Dance**

Sirius and James went outside to find Jessie to tease her about who she should go to the Easter dance with. They were going to suggest Rudolphus, the foul boyfriend of Sirius' equally foul cousin, Bellatrix.

They found her in her usual spot: in the weeping willow tree in the courtyard where her tiger, Neko, was kept. (He was too big to be let inside.) Unlike usual, Jessie was asleep. Sirius couldn't pass this up; he tickled her and she fell out of the tree on top of James.

"I'm sorry," said Jessie blushing as they got up. Sirius knew that Jessie almost never blushed, so she must like James. He knew that because he stared at her all of the time. What he could not figure out was _why_ he stared at her.

James shrugged. He didn't care about Jessie at the moment because he saw Lily Evans walking with some of her mates. "I'm going to ask Evans to the dance," he declared pointing his index finger in to the air. All of the Marauders and Sapphire did that riddikulus action once in a while. (AN: Yes, we love Harry Potter so much that we always use "riddikulus." We don't even remember how to spell it the original way anymore! )

"But Jamsie you know she'll turn you down," Sirius said.

"I'd rather be rejected by her than have her not talk to me at all," stated James and he left.

"He is weird," said Jessie.

"Then why do you have a crush on him?" Sirius asked.

Jessie froze. "What gives you that idea?"

"It's totally obvious," he replied.

"No it isn't because I do not like him that way," Jessie lied.

"Do so."

"Do not."

"Do so."

"Shut-up or I'll have Neko attack you," she said.

Neko growled at Sirius.

"OK, but James will find out sooner or later," Sirius told her and he went to the common room.

Everyone else was already there. James was lounging in an armchair (he had returned from his errand of being rejected by Lily), Peter was sitting on the floor surrounded by snacks, and Remus and Sapphire were sitting on the sofa studying their potion books.

"I'm bored and we already pulled two pranks today, so now what do we do?" Sirius asked.

"Let's play truth or dare," said Peter. No one else had any better ideas, so they agreed.

James started the game. "Moony, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Remus answered. He was too tired to do a dare.

"What did you dream about last night?" James didn't know what else to ask.

Remus blushed. "I had a dream that Sapphire and I watched the sunset behind snowy hills while drinking hot chocolate," he said honestly.

"Mmm hot chocolate sounds yummy," said Peter and he left to go to the kitchens, which made James crack up since he had suggested playing the game in the first place.

Sirius was far too disgusted with Remus' answer to laugh. "You can do anything you want with your girl in a dream and you chose to watch a sunset?"

Remus nodded.

"You're so wonderful," Sapphire said to Remus and she gave him a kiss.

"I know," Remus replied running his hand through his hair, which was a perfect impression of James that made everyone crack up. "Padfoot, truth or dare?"

"Dare me," he replied. Sirius and James always picked dare.

"I dare you not to take any girls up to the Astronomy Tower after the dance," said Remus.

"That is not fair at all!" cried Sirius.

Everyboby laughed.

"Never mind," said Sirius. He could control himself for one night. "Truth or dare, Saphy?"

Sirius may be Sapphire's friend, but she didn't trust him to dare her to do something, so she chose, "Truth."

"Who does Jessie have a crush on?" he asked. He knew that Sapphire would know and he wanted her to give the answer in front of James because he wanted to see James' reaction.

Sapphire had to tell the truth. She looked at James and stated, "You."

James looked behind him. There was no one there. "Who?"

"You!" Sapphire and Sirius said together.

"Who is "you?" asked James.

"James Anthony Potter!" Sirius shouted.

"Me?" asked James.

"Yes, James, yes," everyone answered.

"Oh," said James finally understanding. He had never thought about Jessie, so he thought about her. She was fun to hang-out with and she was quite pretty. "I'll be back." he said.

James went to the courtyard to find Jessie playing with Neko.

"Hey Jessie," James said casually.

"Hi," she replied not looking away from Neko.

"Everyone tells me that you have a crush on me," he said.

Jessie's face turned red as a tomato and she didn't reply.

"So it's true, is it?" he asked siriusly. (AN: The same thing for "riddikulus" applies to "sirius.")

She said coldly still averting her eyes from James, "It doesn't matter if I do because you like Evans."

It was true that he liked Lily, (even though she couldn't stand him) but he got along with Jessie so well. "Well, I've decided that I should go out with someone who likes me."

Jessie laughed, "That might work." She was giving him a hint that she would agree to date him if he asked her.

Surprisingly, he caught onto her hint. "Would you go to the dance with me?"

"I wouldn't mind," she grinned.

At the dance Jessie and James complimented eachother on their outfits in a relaxed way.

Remus, on the other hand, exclaimed, "Wow, Sapphire you look more beautiful than usual." He wasn't exaggerating; her blue and golden dress brought out her eyes and shiny hair.

"Thank you, Remmy. You look dashing yourself," she told him honestly looking at his perfectly tailored suit.

"Would you care to dance my lady?" Remus asked her.

"I would love to, my dear prince," replied Sapphire.

As they went onto the dance floor Peter stated, "This is too much romance for me." He went to the refreshment table.

Sirius returned from one of his many dates for the night and asked James and Jessie, "Are you going to dance at all?" He hoped they wouldn't, but again he didn't know why.

"Let's see," James answered. "Shall we?" he asked Jessie offering her his arm.

"Affirmative," Jessie said.

Torwards the end of the dance Jessie, Sapphire, and the Marauders were sitting around a table drinking punch.

"You are a good dancer, but I'm better," James teased Jessie.

"Maybe so, but I'm the better chaser" grinned Jessie.

He chuckled "In your dreams."

"Speaking of dreams," said the cold voice of Snape coming up to Remus. "I am shocked that a half-breed like you could get a girl like Sapphire McGonagall besides in your dreams."

James warned, "Get out of here Snivelly or I'll have to hex you in front of my girl."

Sapphire was not thinking about her wand; she just stood up and slugged Snape so hard across the face that he fell over. "DON'T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT REMUS THAT WAY AGAIN!"

Snape got up glaring at Sapphire and walked away.

Remus could take care of himself, but he found it so sweet that Sapphire stuck up for him. He hugged her tightly. "You're the best," he said.

"Yeah, Saphy, that was awesome!" Sirius cried.

"Know what else is awesome?" asked Peter.

"What?" asked James.

"Since I didn't have a date I danced with a chocolate frog and then I ate it," Peter replied. "You all danced; are you going to eat who you danced with?" Jessie, Sapphire, and Remus looked disgusted. Sirius cracked up. James asked, "Peter, do you have any idea what you said?"

"No," he answered honestly.

"Well, don't say it again," said Remus. Everyone except Sirius agreed and they went back to Gryffindor Tower.

Minerva's Note: You know I am going to tell you to review, so just review and Ishall not have to tell you.


	4. Summer has Come

chapter four **Summer has Come**

After the school year had ended and the students were sent home for summer break all Sapphire did was sit and wait for the owl to come with her O.W.L. scores.

"Do you want to play football with Chrissy, Ryan, and I?" Jessie asked

Ryan and Chrissy were muggles that she and Sapphire had been friends with before they even went to Hogwarts.

"No thanks," Sapphire replied staring out the window looking for owls.

"Your grades will get here when they get here," said Jessie. She was starting to get annoyed. "Come have some fun."

"Sports aren't fun," Sappire answered, still looking out the window. "And even if I did like them I wouldn't play until my scores came. Nothing can make me move until I get my grades."

"Are you sure about that?" grinned Jessie. She opened the front door to let in the individuals that had flown in on brooms five minutes before. It was none other than the Marauders.

"Remmy!" Sapphire gasped happily when she saw Remus. She ran away from the window into his arms and kissed him passionately. "I missed you."

"I could tell," Remus laughed. "I missed you, too."

Sirius moaned, "You didn't miss me, Saphy?"

After Sapphire had started dating Remus she had been spending a lot of time with the Marauders, so she and Sirius had become like sister and brother. "Yes I did, but you don't get a kiss."

"Ah damb," said Sirius.

Remus glared at Sirius.

"I'm only kidding," Sirius stated honestly.

"You better be or I'm going to kill you," said Remus pointing into the air and everyone laughed. They all knew that he was joking. Then he turned to Sapphire and said. "I packed us a picnic." He picked up a big pink picnic basket.

Sapphire chuckled at the basket, but she agreed to go anyway.

Once they left Jessie asked, "Do you guys want to play football with me and my mates?"

"Another game to beat you at? Sure! How do you play?" James asked. After all, he had never heard of the muggle sport.

She got her black and white ball and replied, "I'll show you."

Hours later, after the boys lost spectacularly to the girls, Jessie told her friends good-bye and came home.

"Hiya Jessie-doodle, where's Saphy-kins?" asked Mr. McGonagall. Both of his daughters hated those nicknames, but neither one ever told him because his feelings would have been hurt.

"She's probably still out with Remus," answered Jessie.

"Who's he?" Mr. McGonagall asked. He was very protective of Sapphire and Jessie.

"Her boyfriend," Jessie said on accident.

"Sapphire is too young for a boyfriend!" he cried.

Mrs. McGonagall told him, "She is sixteen. That is old enough. Anyway, your sister, Minerva, says that Remus Lupin has the highest grades in his year besides Black, Potter, and Sapphire." Mrs. McGonagall (she had come home from the hospital healthy many months ago) was supportive of everything Sapphire did. (Sadly, she didn't care about Jessie at all.)

"I guess," sighed the father.

Jessie went upstairs and sat with Neko and Lupine, who got along well, to wait for Sapphire.

"Where were you all day?" asked Jessie when Sapphire came home a half-hour later. "You didn't do _that_ did you?" Jessie was asking because two years ago she and Sapphire had made a pact never to do it until they were married.

Sapphire shook her head. "We talked and had a romantic lunch...We snogged a little, too," she said blushing. (A\N: For those of you who don't know; snogging just means kissing.)

"Oh OK; just checking," Jessie replied and she left with Neko.

Sapphire patted Lupine. "Don't Remmy and I make a perfect match?" she asked.

The psychic persian nodded.

"What did you do for your date?" Sirius asked Remus as the Marauders had dinner by the pool on the roof at the Potter mansion.

Remus answered, "I packed a picnic basket, of course. I put food it; mostly chocolate-covered strawberries, of course, because thay are Sapphire's favourite. Of course, I placed a blanket in there."

"Quit saying "of course," said James.

"Of course I will, Prongs" grinned Remus. Peter and Sirius cracked up, but James slapped himself in the forehead. "I'll stop now, I'm sorry." Remus said to James.

"_Of course_ you're sorry," replied James and all four of them laughed.

Sirius changed the subject back to his question. "I didn't mean how did you get ready for the date. What did you do on it?"

We sat on the blanket and ate the food," Remus said calmly.

"Did you eat anything besides the food?" asked Sirius, thinking of what Peter had said at the dance.

"Of course not," Remus answered. He thought you should be married to do that.

Sirius asked, "Did you at least snog?"

Remus' face turned red as a beet, which made the answer obvious.

Sirius laughed, "I knew it! The pink picnic basket never fails!" It was a Marauders tradition to go on a picnic with that basket and whenever one of them did they always seemed to get a snog. "By the way, Prongs, have you and Jessie snogged yet?"

"Nope," James shrugged. He had been dating Jessie for about four months now, so all of his friends found that odd.


	5. Red Train and Blue Knickers

chapter five **Red Train and Blue Knickers**

On the scarlet train to Hogwarts the Marauders sat with Sapphire and Jessie.

"How did you all do on your O.W.L.'s? I got eleven," said James. The most you could get was twelve.

"Ten," Remus replied.

"Ten and a half," stated Sirius.

Jessie had never heard of and odd number like that for an O.W.L. score before. "Is that possible?" she asked Sirius. He had his hair slicked back and she couldn't help but think that he looked handsome.

"It is now," Sirius said. Jessie had not had time to buy herself a new Hogwarts uniform so she was wearing her old one and the skirt for it had gotten too short; Sirius thought she had very nice legs.

"I got six," said Peter pointing his finger to the sky.

Sapphire said modestly, "Well, I got all twelve."

"Smashing job, Saphy!" said James and Sirius at the same time.

Remus kissed Sapphire. "I'm so proud of you," he said. "Does anyone have any other news about what happened over the summer?"

"I ran away from home and I'm living with James now," replied Sirius.

"Sapphire and I have a Ravenclaw cousin in my year and he was made a Prefect," Jessie said.

Suddenly Sapphire had an idea. "We should get Blaise and Stella together. I think they would make a good match."

Once at school Jessie was talking to her best friend, Gina Wellington, in the common room.

"I don't know what to think of my relationship," sighed Jessie. "I like James, but we really don't act like a couple."

"You act as if you're just friends," agreed Gina.

"I really want to make it work, but it doesn't seem possible. Especially since I've been having feelings for Sirius again," Jessie said.

Gina didn't know what to say because she liked Sirius too.

Sapphire walked over and stated, "I've convinced Stella to go out with Blaise."

Jessie replied, "I can't get excited about that right now; I have problems. I have feelings for my boy's best mate!"

"Well, I was talking to Lupine the other day, and she thinks that you and Sirius are meant to be," said Sapphire.

"Whom will James be with?" Jessie asked.

"She didn't tell me," Sapphire answered.

Then Sirius came over and lay down on the floor in front of Jessie's chair. "Good afternoon girls," he said.

Gina giggled.

"Hello, Sirius," said Sapphire.

Jessie was very confused and she wanted to sit in the courtyard to think it out. "I'm going to play with Neko," she said.

"Neko is a weird name. Does he kiss your neck and make you go "oh" because I could do that too," Sirius grinned to Jessie.

Jessie could not understand why she had feelings for s pervert like Sirius. She stood up and kicked him lightly in the head.

"Hey, you have blue knickers," said Sirius loudly. Jessie had still been wearing her skirt when she kicked him.

"Who?" asked James as he came into the common room.

"Jessie," Sirius replied.

Jessie thought it was bad enough that the whole common room knew what her underpants looked like; she didn't want her boyfriend to know too. "Sirius, I never want to talk to you again!" cried Jessie and she ran to her dorm.

James told Sirius siriusly, "Tell me you have a good reason for knowing what colour Jessie's knickers are or I'll have to kick your arse, which I am in no mood to do because I'm already tired from the fight I had with Snivellus a few minutes ago. I got so angry at him I told him where he should go." He pointed down at the ground to show exactly where he had told Snape to go: hell. (A\N: That is a line that Joey says in one episode of _Friends_.)

"It really wasn't his fault," said Gina, sticking up for Sirius.

"Good," yawned James sitting down in front of the fire.

"No, it isn't good," sighed Sirius. "Jessie is really mad at me."

"She has a right to be," Sapphire said.

Sirius sighed again. He knew that Jessie should be angry with him; he just wished with all his heart that she wasn't.


	6. Snowballs and Yule Balls

chapter six **Snowballs and Yule Balls**

Jessie stayed mad at Sirius for a long time. By the time the Christmas feast came she still was not speaking to him.

In the Great Hall Dumbledore declared, "Tomorow there will be a school-wide snowball fight, and I should warn you all that I am impossible to hit." Jessie's first thought wasn't to find a way to hit her headmaster, as it normally would've been, but to hit Sirius with as many snowballs as she could.

During the fight Jessie hit Sirius so many times that if snow could put holes in the body Sirius would have been a piece of Swiss cheese. At the end of the fight all of the students and teachers threw a snowball at Dumbledore. All except Professor McGonagall's missed. (Every student could see they had a thing for each other.)

"That wasn't very impossible, Albus," Minerva said and everybody laughed and went back to their common rooms but Jessie and Sirius. Jessie went to the courtyard and Sirius followed her.

"Are you going to stay angry forever?" asked Sirius.

"Maybe," Jessie replied coldly.

"Well, I wish you a happy Christmas even if you don't wish me one," said Sirius. He took a box out of his pocket and handed it to her.

Jessie opened it and inside was a necklace with her name in Japanese. Jessie loved Japanese and she loved her necklace. "Thank you, Sirius," she said. She gave Sirius a hug then stopped quickly, not because she didn't like it, but because she liked it too much.

"You're welcome," he answered. "I should go." he went back inside before he did something foolish with James' girl.

In a few days it was time for the Yule Ball.

"You can go, but I won't be able to take you. The Marauders are doing something special," James told Jessie.

"Can't you change it?" she asked.

"No, I'm sorry," he answered. Even wizards couldn't change when it was a full moon. "I'll make it up to you."

"OK," replied Jessie. She had really wanted to go to the dance, but she wouldn't have any fun without the Marauders, so she stayed up in the dorms playing Wizards' Chess with Sapphire.

The day after the Yule Ball James came up to Jessie and said, "Tonight come to the common room after everyone goes to sleep and wear what you would have worn to the dance."

She did as he said and was amazed to see the common room lit with candles that were the Gryffindor colours and to hear music playing. "I made you your own dance," said James wearing a tux. He had done this because he knew how much the Yule Ball meant to Jessie and he hadn't given her a real reason as to why he couldn't go.

"It's beautiful," she said. She was wearing a red dress with a phoenix on it.

"So are you," James replied. "I love your long hair." He did like her hair though he liked Lily's better. They danced to two songs, but then Jessie heard someone on the girls' staircase.

"Show yourself," Jessie said.

Gina and Sapphire came down the stairs. "We had to make sure you were OK," Gina told Jessie.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Jessie asked.

Sapphire replied, "You and James down here alone in the darkness late at night...He might have tried something. After all, he is Sirius Black's best mate."

Jessie was about to say that if that happened she could handle herself when Sirius came down from the boys' steps where he had been spying. "That hurts, Saphy," he stated, even though it didn't bother him at all.

"What are _you_ doing here?" James asked.

"I was bored, so I decided to spy on you. Normally Remus would've talked me out of it, but he couldn't as he is in the hospital wing," replied Sirius honestly. James couldn't help but laugh at how blunt Sirius was.

"Is he all right?" asked Jessie. She had always respected Remus and she knew how happy he made Sapphire; it would be awful if something had happened to him. (AN: Remember, Jessie does not know that Remus is a lycanthrope.)

"He only hurt his hand," James answered. It was true; James just decided not to say how he hurt his hand, or to describe how sore it really was.

"Well, if there's nothing to worry about let's finish our dance and ignore that the room is full of nosy people," said Jessie.

"_Individuals._" Sapphire corrected out of habit. Since her little sister was fine she went back upstairs with Gina.

Jessie continued dancing with James, but she still could not help noticing a strange look on Sirius' face as he went up to his dorm. Was it jealousy? If so, did that mean he liked her too? Jessie had that annoying feeling of confusion again when she went to bed that night.

**Minerva's Note:** Review - tell me if you liked it or not, but I would appreciatte it if you criticize to say something more constructive than "you suck" because that just makes you sound like an ignorant complainer.


	7. Gifts From the Heart

chapter seven **Gifts From the Heart**

While everyone went to breakfast the next morning Sapphire went to the hospital wing to visit Remus. He had hurt his hand so badly during the full moon that it had swelled up to the point where he could not hold a quill.

"It will never swell down in time for me to write that essay for charms," Remus said sadly.

"I know, so I did it for you," said Sapphire, giving him a piece of parchment with an essay written on it exactly like one he would've written himself.

"How did you do that?" Remus asked. He was very impressed. (Then again, he loved everything Sapphire did.)

"The handwriting was easy; I've always been good at forgery," Sapphire answered "And for the essay; I noticed that you use a lot of adjectives."

Remus chuckled, "You know me so well."

"I love every minute of getting to know you," she replied honestly. "Anyway, you must know some things about me."

Remus answered, "You're gourgeous, smart, kind..." He didn't get to finish his sentence because Sapphire kissed him, but he didn't mind.

On the 29th of February it was Sapphire's 17th birthday. When she came into the common room she saw two chairs decorated to look like thrones.

"Hello Queen Sapphire," said Sirius and he took her to one of the thrones. Remus was sitting in the other one. James, Peter, Stella, and Jessie were also in the room. They all gave her presents: Peter gave her Fizzing Whizbees (he always got everyone food because that is what he would want), James and Jessie gave her _The Young Wizards series_ of books by Diane Duane, Sirius gave her a huge bottle of vodka "Because she's of age in the wizarding world she can legally drink now!" Stella gave her a rose-coloured spring dress, and an owl arrived from Chrissy and Ryan with 17 galleons.

Finally, it was Remus' turn. He got up and knelt down in front of Sapphire's "throne." He had never been more nervous in his life, but his voice came out calm, as always, when he stated, "I know that we are young, but I also know that I love you, so I ask for your hand in marriage."

"You only want her hand?" asked Sirius.

Everyone ignored him and looked at Sapphire.

She couldn't talk because she was so choked up with happy tears, so instead she flung her arms around him and kissed him so hard that they both fell over.

Sirius and James laughed and said, "That _probably_ means 'yes!"

They got off the floor and Sapphire got her voice back. "I want nothing more than to marry you; I love you more than words can describe."

Everybody said, "Awww." Then they gagged, but they were only teasing. All of them, even the idiotic Peter, were happy for Remus and Sapphire.

When Sapphire was alone with the girls in her dorm Gina, who had missed the proposal, asked, "Did he give you a ring?"

"Yes," replied Sapphire. "After everyone gagged they left us alone and he gave me this," She held out her left hand to show them her golden band that pearls and sapphires around it. She loved it because the pearls represented the full moon for Remus. (_Minerva's Note:_ If you cannot discover the meaning of the sapphires then call 1-800-I-M-CRAZY and some kind individuals shall come to wrap you in a comfortable straight jacket so you can hug yourself all day. They shall take you to a lovely room made of soft yellow foam and everything shall be all right.)

"Shouldn't it be a diamond ring and shouldn't the jewels be bigger?" asked Gina. She was high-maintenance.

Sapphire shook her head. "If you are fortunate enough to receive a wedding ring you should be concerned not with the value of the ring, but the value of the heart of the individual that gave it to you."

"That's true," said Jessie.

Stella stated, "Saphy, you do know that now you have to give Remus a great present for his birthday and it'll be hard to find something as good as a proposal."

"I already know what I am going to give him. He will be as happy with it as I am with my gift," Sapphire replied.

"What did you get him?" asked Stella.

"I can't tell you," answered Sapphire honestly.

Jessie asked, "You aren't going to give yourself to him are you?"

"No," she said. She would not tell them anymore than that.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were going to propose to Sapphire?" James asked Remus while the Marauders sat by their tree near the lake.

Remus stated, "You would have made fun of me."

"We're going to tease you now anyway," said Sirius.

"I know, but you would have been able to do it months before now if I had told you," Remus replied.

"Have you really been planning this for months?" Peter asked.

James answered, "No, Wormtail, he woke up this morning and said 'I'm going to ask Sapphire to marry me." He pointed his finger into the air.

"Really?" asked Peter stupidly.

Sirius said siriusly, "Yes; you were having an early breakfast."

"Ooooh," said Peter. He actually believed them. His gullibleness would one day be his undoing.

Remus laughed at how riddikulus his friends were and leaned against the tree thinking about how beautiful Sapphire would look in a wedding dress.

The 27th of April was Remus' 17th birthday. Peter had baked him a cake that tasted good, but looked like a piece of dragon dung. James got him a custom made medallion with a crest on it that had a moon, a worm, a paw print, and an antler. Jessie found it strange, but everyone else thought it was great. Sirius made him a sculpture of a wolf. Sirius was very artistic. Jessie, who had gotten Remus a Shakespearean play since she knew he and her sister liked poetry, was impressed by Sirius' talent.

"Well, Saphy, we're all dying to know if you got Remus as good of a gift as he got you," Sirius said.

"Don't listen to him; I'll like whatever you give me," Remus honestly told her.

Sapphire smiled at Remus. Next, she looked at Sirius and stated, "Believe me, I did."

"Where is it?" asked James. She did not have a present in her hand.

"This isn't the sort of thing that you can put in a box," Sapphire told him. Then she said to Remus, "Come with me."

Jessie tried to tell herself that her sister wouldn't do anything foolish as Sapphire took Remus up to the boys' dorm.

"What is it?" Remus asked. He hoped that nothing was wrong.

Sapphire closed her eyes and concentrated. She transformed into a white dove with Sapphire eyes. She flew around the room, landed on the floor in front of Remus, and changed back.

"You became and animagus for me!" Remus cried happily. He put his arms around her. "You're so sweet you didn't have to do that." (A\N: We know that some of you thought she was going to do _that._ Shame on your warped minds!)

"I wanted to," she replied. "So that I could be with you all of the time."

"I couldn't ask for a better gift," he stated honestly.

She knew that he would be happy, but it felt good to hear him say it anyway. She gave him a lingering kiss on the lips. "We should tell James, Sirius, and Peter so I can come with you to the Whomping Willow."

"OK," he said and he called his mates upstairs.

"What's up?" asked James.

"We have great news," Remus and Sapphire stated at the same time.

"Is Sapphire pregnant?" asked Peter stupidly.

"No, Sapphire is an animagus," Remus answered calmly.

Sirius and James replied, "Brilliant! Show us!"

She changed into a dove and back again.

"Now, you need a nickname," James stated. "How about Jewel since your eyes stay sapphire blue when you transform?"

"I don't like that because it is the name of Chrissy's rude grandmother," she said.

Sirius asked, "What do you think of Gem, instead of Jewel?"

Sapphire shrugged. "Sure."

"Gem and Rem rhyme," laughed Peter.

Everyone else laughed too.

From then on Sapphire went with the Marauders to the Whomping Willow every full moon.


	8. Love Hurts, but Hearts Heal

chapter eight **Love Hurts, but Hearts Heal**

James was by himself at the Quidditch Pitch, not flying for once, but thinking. He thought about the rush he got being in the same room as Lily and how he could dance with Jessie and not feel the same way. He knew that he liked to hang out with Jessie and play Quidditch with her, but she didn't make him want to be romantic. He also could tell that she and Sirius had feelings for each other. James sighed. It was easy to figure out what would be best for everyone; he just didn't want to do it because he knew it would make Jessie upset, even if she would thank him in the long run.

James went to Jessie, who was alone in the common room studying for her O.W.L.'s "We need to talk," he said.

"Um, sure," Jessie replied, though she knew that those were the worst words to hear in any relationship.

"I care about you very much. I just think we'd be better as friends," he stated.

Jessie said nothing. She was so hurt she couldn't think of anything to say.

"I'm sorry," he said honestly and left.

Jessie started to cry quietly. She ran up to her dorm and found scissors in Gina's make-up bag. She lifted the scissors to her shoulders and cut her long hair. She picked her hair up off the floor, brought it to the common room, and threw it in the fire.

At that moment Sirius walked in. "Holy crap! Jessie what are you doing?" he asked in concern.

"I cut my hair because James liked it long," Jessie answered. Her voice sounded normal, though she was still sobbing.

Sirius hugged her. "Why are you angry at him?"

"He broke up with me," she told him. She was surprised that he didn't already know.

"Why the bloody hell did he do that!" asked Sirius. He couldn't understand why anyone would dump Jessie.

"He didn't say why," replied Jessie as she rubbed her eyes.

Sirius wanted to cheer her up. "Even though you're crying you look really hot with short hair," stated Sirius siriusly.

Jessie laughed; leave it to Sirius to give a compliment at the worst possible time. "Thanks."

"No problem. I'm going to go talk to James, OK?" he asked.

Jessie nodded.

Sirius finally found James in the kitchens with Peter. "Why did you dump Jessie?" he asked.

"So I can date Lily and you can date Jessie," replied James bluntly.

"It makes you a bad mate date your friend's crush or ex," said Sirius. He wouldn't date Jessie; no matter how much he fancied her, without James' permission.

James answered, "It doesn't bother me."

"Good. Then I'll ask her out," stated Sirius. He hoped that she would say yes.

Peter said, "I think that we should all date chocolate frogs."

"NO!" shouted James and Sirius and all of the house-elves jumped.

When Sirius went back to Gryffindor Tower he saw that the common room was still empty except for Jessie. She wasn't crying anymore, but she looked upset. He sat next to her on the sofa. "You'll get over James, and then you'll find a boyfriend that would never dream of breaking up with you because he would rather die than live without you," Sirius told her.

"Where am I going to find someone like that?" She guessed that Sirius was talking about himself, which would make her very happy, but she had to make sure.

Sirius put his hand against Jessie's cheek and turned her face so that she was looking right into his eyes. "Here," he said and kissed her.

Jessie would have punched any other boy for being that forward, but this was Sirius Black, and she kissed back. In fact she was so lost in the kiss that she forgot about the rest of the wourld until she heard her sister say, "My this looks familiar." She looked up and had to laugh when she saw Sapphire, Remus, and James; she had walked in on Sapphire with James and one of James' friends when Sapphire had been kissing a Marauder in the common room last school year.

"I can't believe you, Jessie; the same day we stop dating you kiss my best mate," James teased.

Everyone laughed.

It was clear that James and Jessie could stay friends.

Later Jessie asked the girls for advice. "Do you really think it's good that I started a relationship with Sirius? I mean, I like him a lot, but..."

Stella finished, "You know his reputation."

"You can't judge anyone on their reputation," said Sapphire. "Anyway, you and I hang-out with Sirius all the time, and you should know that even if some of his jokes are perverted he's nice and loyal to the individuals that he cares about."

Gina, who wanted Sirius for herself, argued, "Stella is right; you can't risk dating him."

"Lupine says you're meant to be with Sirius, and she's never been wrong before," Sapphire reminded Jessie.

Lupine jumped from Sapphire's lap, where she had been sitting, and went over to Jessie. She gave her _it would be stupid not to at least try_ look.

Jessie did care for Sirius very much. "Fine, I'll give it a try," she said. Sapphire smiled, Stella shrugged, and Gina scowled.


	9. Party at the Potters

chapter nine **Party at the Potters**

Jessie was glad to have her O.W.L.'s out of the way once summer started and she planned on having a relaxing vacation, but Sirius would have none of that.

"James and I are having a combined birthday since our birthdays are only a week apart, and you _must_ come," Sirius told her.

Jessie knew what sort of party Sirius and James would throw without supervision so she asked, "Will adults be there?"

Sirius nodded. "Mum and Dad. That is, Mrs. and Mr. Potter; I just call them Mum and Dad."

She smiled. "That's understandable. Anyway, when is it?"

"Next Friday at two, but you and Saphy can show up any time." Sirius replied. "By the way, it's a pool party, so bring your bathing suits."

"OK. What do you want- on second thought, don't tell me!" said Jessie.

Sirius laughed, grinning mischeviously.

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The party was in the Potters' backyard where there was a gigantic pool.

Lots of Hogwarts students were there and Sirius and James spent most of the party saying hello to everyone; therefore Jessie hung-out with her sister and future brother-in-law. Hours later, though, everyone except Sapphire, Jessie, Remus, and Peter had left.

"All right, now that they're gone who wants to see us try out our new brooms?" asked James. Mr. and Mrs. Potter had given James and Sirius each a new broom. Jessie got James a poster of his favourite Quidditch team, and Sirius a gold watch and a passionate kiss. Peter gave them each a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Remus got them each books on responsibility, which they never planed to read. Sapphire gave them matching shirts that read, "I have my ways..."

"I do!" Peter answered.

"Great," replied James. "We're going to fly up high and do a dive into the pool."

"Excuse me?" Sapphire asked. She thought she must have heard wrong.

"That's very dangerous," stated Remus.

"You guys aren't any fun," Sirius said. "Come on, you'd enjoy watching us. You could even bet on who would hit the water first."

"I bet you both get siriusly injured," replied Jessie coolly.

James shook his head. "We're invincible." (_Minerva's Note:_ Alas, they are both dead now, so we know tis untrue.)

"Really?" asked Sirius in surprise. "I thought we were irresistible."

"That too," laughed James.

Remus, Sapphire, and Jessie rolled their eyes and Peter whined, "Are you going to dive or not?"

They nodded, mounted their brooms, and took off. About a second later they were speeding towards the pool and hit it with a huge splash that soaked the others.

"_That was so cool!_" cried Sirius and James together as they climbed out of the water.

"Brilliant!" Peter said.

"I'm just glad we were still in our bathing suits," Sapphire stated. She was hit with the worst part of the wave.

"We should go home and change," Jessie told Sapphire.

"No you shouldn't," said Sirius. He quite liked how Jessie looked in a wet bathing suit. He knew that Jessie felt he same about him. (_Sakura's Note:_ What girl wouldn't?)

Jessie replied, "Our parents will worry if we don't go home soon."

"OK," Sirius sighed.

The McGonagalls kissed their boyfriends (fiance in Sapphire's case), waved to James and Peter, and used floo powder to return home.

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Lily opened her letter from Amos, smiling. The more of the letter she read, though, the more her smile faded until finally there were tears in her eyes. She jumped on her bed and cried into her pillow. Why had Amos broken up with her? What had she done wrong? Couldn't he at least have had the courage to say it to her face? _Potter the Prat would've even done that much,_ she thought unhappily.

The only thing Lily was grateful for was that Petunia was sleeping at Vernon's house (She had told their parents she was staying at Mary's.), so she would not come home and see her cry.


	10. Sapphire's Announcement

chapter ten **Sapphire's Announcment**

"Gemmy?" Remus called Sapphire on their two-way mirror on the last day of summer.

She put down the romance novel she had been reading and took her mirror out of her pocket. "Yes, Remmy?" she asked. As always, she was happy to see him.

"We go back to Hogwarts tomorrow, so you have to tell your parents that you are engaged _today,_" he said calmly.

Sapphire looked nervous.

"I told my parents and they were happy for us. Yours will be, too," Remus tried to reassure her. He felt badly if Sapphire had anything but a smile on her face.

She sighed, "We'll see. I'll call you back after I tell them."

Remus replied, "You need to smile first." So he recited her a few of her favourite Shakespearean lines.

That did make Sapphire beam warmly at him. "I love you. What would I do without you?"

He blushed and shrugged.

"I'm going to tell them, all right?"

He nodded and put away his mirror.

Sapphire picked up Lupine and stroked her fur. "Wish me luck; with Dad I'll need it." she whispered and walked out of her bedroom, down the hall past Jessie's room, and downstairs into the living room.

Jessie had seen her sister go by and could tell by how nervous she looked that she was going to break the news to their parents. Suddenly, there was a _pop_ and Sirius was sitting beside Jessie grinning.

"You can't just apparate here without asking! What if I had been changing?" cried Jessie in a quiet tone so her family downstairs would not hear. When Sirius had sad nothing and continued to grin she punched his shoulder hard, yet could not help but chuckle as he burst out laughing. Then she covered his mouth with her hand. "Shh, Sapphire is announcing her engagement, so I do not want their talk interrupted because my idiot boyfriend decided to appear out of thin air."

Sirius kissed her hand and, turning pink as a rose, she took it off of his mouth. He pouted, "You aren't happy I came?"

Jessie's heart skipped a beat; it was such a cute pout. "It's not that-"

She was cut off by her father's shout from downstairs. "WHAT!"

"Calm down," said Mrs. McGonagall's voice. "Sapphire is of age and has good judgment; she can make her own decisions."

"No! Listen Saphy-kins, you are too young to understand love; you just think you understand it. I won't let you marry some guy who probably only cares about you for your looks and ruin your life," he told his daughter firmly.

Next, Sirius and Jessie heard Sapphire reply in a tone that was more angry and defiant than they'd heard anyone use before. "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT ABOUT REMUS? I _KNOW_ HE LOVES ME AND I LOVE HIM, AND I AM GOING TO MARRY HIM WITH OR WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION!"

Sapphire ran upstairs to her room and slammed her door so hard that the moving pictures on Jessie's walls shook.

"Should I go?" asked Sirius; shocked that sweet Sapphire could get that angry.

"I think so," Jessie said, knowing it would only add to her parents stress if Sirius were found sitting on her bed with her. "I wish you didn't have to, though." He hugged her and kissed her lips and when he stopped she wished it could have lasted longer.

"We'll see each other tomorrow," he promised, and apparated.

Jessie was choosing if she should comfort Sapphire or let her be alone when her parents came up the steps and knocked on Sapphire's door.

Sapphire had been lying on her bed crying. "Come in," she muttered. Sapphire saw that their eyes were sirius.

Mr. McGonagall stated, "I do not approve of this, but I don't want to lose one of my two daughters, so I'll accept it."

Her mother added, "If you're sure it's true love you have my full support."

Sapphire hugged her mother and, knowing she'd never get a better statement from him, hugged her father as well. "Thank you. I'd like to be alone now if that's OK."

They nodded and left the door closed behind them.

Sapphire took out her mirror. "Remmy?"

"How did it go? Oh no, have you been crying?" Remus was instantly worried.

"It could have been worse, but it could have been a lot better," she said.

He could tell she was upset. "Do you want to come over for a little while? I could make chocolate-covered strawberries."

Without answering she apparated to the Lupin's cottage in the forest right in front of Remus.

Remus jumped back in surprise and laughed a moment later. "I suppose I will take that as 'yes." He kissed both of her cheeks and they went into the kitchen where they made the dessert as they discussed their wedding plans.

_Minerva's Note:_ I bet most of you forgot she was becoming an animagus! **IF YOU READ AND RUN YOU DIE!**


	11. Head Boy

chapter eleven **Head Boy**

"Everyone, guess what?" James asked his five friends on the ride back to Hogwarts for their final year (except Jessie was entering her sixth year).

"What?" Remus and Sapphire asked.

"No, we can't pass up this opportunity to guess," Sirius said. "I think James lost his sanity."

"We already knew that," laughed Jessie.

"Did you bring me food?" asked Peter.

James reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny badge that read **Head Boy**.

They all stared in quiet shock.

Finally, Sirius managed to slowly say, "What...the...hell?"

"Maybe Dumbledore was drunk when he sent it," James answered.

Sapphire shook her head wisely. "He probably thinks you'll learn some responsibility."

"If he picked a trouble-maker for Head Girl too we're in for a great year!" Sirius was excited.

Remus sat with Sapphire in a carriage drawn by invisible horses while the other four rode in the carriage next to theirs. Once Hogwarts came into view Sapphire put her face in her hands and tried not to cry; she had done enough of that yesterday.

He put his arms around her comfortingly. "What is it, love?"

"We aren't ever going to ride up to the castle again because this is our last year. Remmy, I love this place and I do not want to leave. We have so many memories here."

"Just because we're leaving school behind doesn't mean we leave our memories behind."

"That's true, but that is not the only thing that's bothering me...I'm scared too."

"Of what?"

"Well, what are we going to do after we graduate? I have no idea what I want to be."

"_We._ See, you aren't alone, so you have no reason to worry. I'll help you and so will the other Marauders since you're as good as a Marauder yourself. You can never officially be one; you're a girl and that would be against the rules, but you're close enough."

"There's a rule that girls can't be Marauders?"

"Yes. I didn't make it, though."

"You wouldn't." Sapphire took her face out of her hands and laughed. Remus always made her feel batter.

The carriage stopped and Remus hopped out to hold the door open for Sapphire. She smiled at him as she got out.

"You two romantics coming or not?" called Sirius.

The six of them went into the Great Hall and listened to Dumbledore make his speech; waiting for him to get to the only part they wanted to hear. "I would like to introduce the new Head Girl, Lily Evans."

Lily stood up proudly so all the first years could see her.

Sirius whispered to James, "She may not be a trouble-maker, but this means trouble for you, mate."

Dumbledore continued, "And the new Head Boy, James Potter."

James stood up and grinned at Lily.

The redhead gasped before falling to the floor in a dead faint.

Lily woke up in the Hospital Wing with Sapphire McGonagall, who had brought her there, looking at her anxiously.

Sapphire was one of Lily's dorm mates, but Lily did not talk to her much because she had always been friends with Sirius Black (James Potter's partner in crime), her little sister played Quidditch (obviously, with James Potter), and now the whole school knew she was engaged to Remus Lupin (Remus was a Prefect like Lily herself, but he was still close with James Potter). Almost everything in Lily's Hogwarts life traced to James Potter. He got a crush on her in fifth year and had not left her alone since, except for a short time when he dated Sapphire's sister. Now he was Head Boy to her Head Girl? No, it couldn't be so!

"Potter isn't really Head Boy, is he?" Lily asked. She might not talk to Sapphire often, but she knew enough about her to realise she was honest as well as caring.

Sapphire nodded and worriedly said, "Don't pass out again!"

"I won't," stated Lily. "I just wish I didn't have to put up with _him_."

"James is not so bad. He's very nice to his friends and fun to be around." She added suggestively, "And sweet to his girlfriends. When he could not make it to the dance Jessie wanted to go he set up a special dance just for her in the common room."

"Really?" The James that Lily knew hexed other students, but Lily realised that she had never known him well enough to judge him, yet she had judged him anyway. Still, she did not plan on changing her opinion just because of what Lupin's friendly blonde fiancé said. "That's interesting."


	12. Sabotage

chapter twelve **Sabotage**

Lily recovered quickly and suggested to Dumbledore that they have an activity, besides a dance, that would involve all of the Houses, like a theatrical play. Dumbledore loved the idea and Lily went onto the grounds to work.

She thought it would be nice to hold the play outdoors where the whole school would have room to sit and all of the different stage sets could fit. Now she needed to pick a play.

"Need some help?"

Lily was startled. She was lost in thought so she didn't hear _him_ creep up on her. "No, Potter, I do not need or want any help, at least not from you."

"Dumbledore said I had to work on this play thingy with you."

"Fine," sighed Lily. "Then tell me your ideas."

"Well, OK, but only because you asked," James laughed.

Lily couldn't decide if she should roll her eyes at his childish statement or to smile since his laugh was rather nice, so she did nothing.

James said, "We should do a Muggle play; I don't think the wizarding world knows a lot about Muggle culture. It would be a good experience."

She was surprised. "That _is_ a good idea."

"But wait, there's more!" James sounded like a salesperson. He knew his mates would think it was funny, yet he did not expect Lily to laugh the way she did. Grinning now, he continued, "There should be violence, romance, and scheming. That way everyone likes the play."

Nodding agreement, she replied, "I know the perfect play: Romeo and Juliet."

"I've heard of that!" He was proud of himself and he hoped Lily would be impressed.

Lily had been impressed by his ideas; she realised that being a prat didn't make him stupid, but she hated when he was conceited. Then again, being proud of yourself was a good thing, it did not always mean you were conceited, and she had to admit that when James was proud and happy he was cute in his own way. Maybe, just maybe, she could be friends with him. "Good. Let's put out fliers and we'll work on this later."

"OK." James walked away with a spring in his step. He had had a conversation with Lily that didn't end with her yelling at him! "I should thank my lucky star," he said, smiling to himself.

"I'm right here!" shouted Sirius, coming out of a secret passage.

James punched Sirius' arm to hide the fact that he had forgotten about that passage; therefore Sirius had scared the hell out of him.

Blaise McGonagall, the handsome Ravenclaw Prefect in Jessie's year, had been bored and was staring out the window, listening to the Head Boy and Head Girl's conversation. He had nothing better to do, so he decided to tell Sapphire the good news; he knew she loved Shakespeare.

He found her where he knew she would be: in the library studying for the N.E.W.T.s (already) with Remus. Blaise, as a Ravenclaw, approved of studying for exams early and, as a Prefect, he had gotten to know Remus at the Prefect meetings; therefore, as a cousin, he approved of the polite boy being in a relationship with Sapphire.

"Saphy?"

"Hi Blaise, how are you?" asked Sapphire.

"Good, Stella and I are planning a date to Hogsmeade next weekend."

She beamed. "That's wonderful! I knew you two would make a lovely couple."

Blaise nodded. "And I have more good news."

"Yay!"

Remus laughed along with Blaise good-naturedly at Sapphire's excitement.

"There is going to be a play," stated Blaise. "Romeo and Juliet."

"Great!" Sapphire and Remus exclaimed.

"I think you two would do well as the lead roles because I'm sure you know the parts by heart."

They shook their heads.

"Well, see you later." He shrugged and left the library.

"You know the part by heart," Remus said to Sapphire. "Why would you tell Blaise you didn't?"

"For the same reason you did; I'd rather not explain that I get stage fright. I like to recite poetry and dance with you, and since I was young I loved singing, but to do any of those things in front of strangers would make me uncomfortable."

He understood completely. "I never knew you sang."

"I write my own song lyrics and play them on the piano. The only one I sing them to is Lupine. Maybe I'll also sing to our children."

Remus' pale cheeks turned blood red.

Realising what she had just said, Sapphire flushed brighter than the scarlet of the Hogwarts Express. They had chosen to be responsible and not to make love until they were married and they'd planed their whole wedding (No one knew the plans besides them.), but they had never talked about children.

When his face became its normal colour again Remus held her hands. "I want us to have children, too."

Sapphire smiled her always beautiful and always genuine smile. "Good."

Once Blaise left he figured that he might as well tell Jessie about the play. Jessie was harder to find; she wasn't practicing Quidditch or in the courtyard with Neko. Finally, he found her walking along the corridors with her best mate, Gina Wellington. "There you are, Jessie!"

"Sorry, Blaise, but I can't talk now. I was just saying good-bye to Gina." Jessie walked away and now that she'd cut short her long raven hair Blaise noticed that he barely recognised her from behind.

"I wonder where she's going."

Gina answered, "Probably to meet Sirius."

"Sirius...Sirius Black?"

She nodded.

Blaise was not in Sirius' house or year, so all he knew about Sirius was that he had a reputation as a prankster and a flirt. Blaise had no siblings to protect, so he was very protective of his cousins, and he was not sure that he wanted Jessie spending time Sirius. "Are they close?"

Gina snorted. "Are you kidding? He's her boyfriend and I think he gave her that hickey on her neck. Either that, or Jessie got a pretty weird bruise playing Quidditch." Naturally, Gina was right.

"WHAT!" cried Blaise. "I am not going to let her date someone like that!"

"If you can break them up, please do it. I've been trying to think of a way."

"Have you?" Blaise was interested.

"Yeah, but why do you care? Oh!" Their eyes locked and they both smiled evilly.


	13. Rumour

chapter thirteen **Rumour**

Standing outside in the cool, October weather Lily and James watched the progress of the play smiling. Sirius, with his artistic talent, coached the first years that were painting the backgrounds. However, Sirius would not be happy to just stay backstage and paint, so he auditioned for the lead of Romeo and got it, partly because James was in charge of auditions and partly because he truly was good. Lily was in charge of costumes and she got Stella and Jessie to make some with her. Since Remus and Sapphire knew the play, but did want to perform, they agreed to coach the actors. Yes James and Lily were pleased; all was going according to plan.

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"Ready to put part one of the plan into action?" Blaise asked Gina in the Entrance Hall.

"Of course."

Blaise walked onto the grounds and Gina went into the Great Hall. Blaise picked up a hammer and for a while he silently helped to build the stage. When he was sure no one was looking he whispered to a Slytherin, who he knew always loved gossip about the Gryffindors, "Black was seen snogging Luts last night."

Olivia Luts was playing Juliet. She was an odd Gryffindor girl in Jessie's year with grades as low as Peter's and there was a reason why her last name was "slut" in Pig Latin, but nobody could deny that she was not bad looking and was a great actress.

Gina had put an anonymous note on each of the house tables in the Great Hall saying exactly what Blaise had said. Gina's handwriting was not unique, so no one would know she wrote them.

By the time everyone went to bed that night the rumour had grown as large as "Black and Luts have been snogging every night."

Sapphire had seen how the rumour had not upset, but at least annoyed, Jessie, so Sapphire could not sleep. She wanted to talk to her best mate, though sadly Stella was asleep. Then Sapphire remembered that the Marauders always stayed up late unless it was right before or right after the full moon, so she got out of bed and thought about getting dressed, but she knew she would not be embarrassed if her friends saw her in her bedclothes even if they were boys.

She went down to the common room, up the boys' staircase and, thinking it would be fun to scare them, opened the door and screamed, "BOO!"

All four of them jumped and Peter dropped the sandwich he had been holding. They'd been looking at a piece of parchment on the floor.

James snatched it with his quick reflexes. "Gem, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk. I'm sorry. I'll go if it's a bad time."

The boys looked at each other.

"We can tell you. After all, you know about everything else," said Remus.

"And you are dressed nicely for the occasion," Sirius teased.

Sapphire laughed because all of the Marauders were in their pajamas too, except for Sirius, who slept shirtless. "Look who's talking."

James, Sirius, and Remus laughed with her. Peter ate his sandwich off the floor.

"Here." James handed Sapphire the parchment once they stopped cracking up.

Her eyes grew wide. "This is the most amazing map I have ever seen!" Naturally, It was the Marauders' Map.

The Marauders all looked proud of themselves.

"We started it last year and just finished putting our names on it about ten minutes ago. The charms were very complicated, so it took a lot of time and work to make, but it was worth it," stated Remus happily.

Sirius added, "Saphy, you're an animagus too, but you never found any secret passages, so we didn't put your name on it."

Sapphire shrugged, still staring at the map, astonished.

James said, "I'm sure you didn't come up here to have us show off what great cartographers we are. What did you want?"

Before Sapphire could say anything Peter asked, "What's a carneoptropheree thingy?"

"A cartographer is a map maker," replied Remus. Then he looked at Sapphire.

She began, "Well, I just have a bad feeling about Jessie and that rumour-"

"She doesn't believe it, does she? And neither do you, right?" Sirius was clearly worried.

"I never believed it for a second," Sapphire reassured him honestly. "I don't think Jessie does, but I know she doesn't like it; having gossip go around about her popular boyfriend makes her the center of attention, and she isn't used to that. At home I get the attention, at least from Mum, and here at school most kids call her 'the professor's niece' or 'Sapphire's little sister.' Hey, why am I popular instead of her anyway? I don't like attention from individuals I don't know either; I'm just used to it."

James, Remus, and Sirius were not sure of the right way to explain it to Sapphire.

"It's 'cause you're beautiful," Peter replied.

"Jessie is too," said Sirius loudly.

Peter nodded. "But Jessie is beautiful like a pickle, some peop-(Sapphire glared at him.)-individuals love pickles and others can't stand them. Sapphire is beautiful like candy, most individuals love it and even if they don't love it they have to admit that some of it is pretty good." (_Authors' Note:_ Who knew Peter's love of food would come in handy!)

Sapphire blushed plum purple. "Really?" she asked the others. She thought that she looked nice enough not to worry about wearing make-up, but beautiful was stretching. Remus and her parents often told her that she was, though she figured that was because they loved her.

"Yep," shrugged James.

Sirius smiled. "The only reason guys don't follow you around like girls do to me is since you're a Marauder's girl they know they'd get their arses beaten, but we can't hit girls for following me." He thought about it. "Unless it was Bellatrix trying to hex me."

James laughed.

"That doesn't make sense," muttered Sapphire. If she were so good-looking wouldn't she have noticed? There had to be another reason for her popularity. "Are you sure it's not because Jessie is quiet around strangers and I'm friendly with almost everybody?"

"Partly that too," Remus answered. _But mostly for the other reason,_ he thought angrily. He hated the way guys stared at Sapphire (Not because he thought Sapphire would cheat on him; he knew she loved him.) because they thought she was attractive for the wrong reasons. They didn't notice her smile or that her blue eyes stood out even more than usual when she blushed. It was dangerous for a girl as pretty as Sapphire to be so friendly and especially so _trusting_, but Sapphire was only "book smart" and had not realised this danger yet.

"Anyway," said Sapphire, wanting to change the subject, "what are we going to do about Jessie?" She yawned and lay on the nearest bed, her head on the pillow. She was finally getting tired.

"If she doesn't believe the rumour we'll just wait for it to die out," Sirius replied. "All rumours die." He had started a few about Snape before; therefore he would know.

James nodded.

"What do you think, Gemmy?" Remus asked.

The only answer was deep breathing.

Sirius stifled a laugh. "Prongs, do you think it was a coincidence that she fell asleep on Moony's bed?"

Remus knew they would tease him the whole night unless he shocked them into silence, so he did the last thing they would have expected. He climbed in bed next to Sapphire, hugged her to his chest, and almost immediately fell asleep to happy dreams.

James and Sirius' mouths dropped open.

"What?" Peter had just finished eating his sandwich.

They could only shake their heads and go to sleep.


	14. Disaster Debut

chapter fourteen **Disaster Debut**

When Sapphire opened her eyes the first thing she saw was Remus' face. "Good morning, Gemmy," he said. "I was watching you sleep peacefully."

There's nothing like waking up to your love's face to hear them say something sweet, so she leaned up and kissed Remus passionately.

He kissed back, but after about twenty minutes he said, "We should go help the others. They already left to get ready for the premiere today."

She nodded and they did just that.

"Ready for part two of the plan?" asked Gina.

"Naturally," said Blaise. He walked over to Hufflepuff third year that he was sure didn't know who he was. "Tell Sirius Black that Professor Vector wants to see him in his classroom."

Her face lit up. Everyone knew Sirius Black. "OK." She ran off smiling.

Blaise smiled too. If this worked then Jessie would break up with Sirius and she would be safe.

Gina found Olivia Luts putting on lipstick and fixing her eyelashes. "Can you come with me and help me find my library book?" she asked Olivia.

"I guess," Olivia replied.

"Thanks," said Gina. "I think I have an idea where it is."

Olivia followed Gina to a classroom she didn't recognise. "Who teaches in here?"

"Vector," Gina answered, pretending to look for a book. "You know, I bet I left it in the closet." She pointed to a door. "Will you check for me, please?"

Olivia shrugged and went into the closet. She didn't notice Gina close the door and lock it until the light was shut out.

"Guys, I'll see you later," Sirius told the other Marauders. "Professor Vector wants to see me."

"But you don't take his class," Remus pointed out.

"I know. I don't even know what he teaches."

Remus stated, "Arithmancy or Ancient Runes or something like that. That doesn't matter; what does matter is that a teacher that does not have you as a student wants to see you when you haven't done anything wrong...lately. It doesn't make sense."

"I think you had better go anyway," said James. "Or you might get detention, and the play is tonight."

Sirius nodded. He went to the classroom and found it empty. Shrugging, he was about to leave until he heard banging on a closet door. He opened the door and felt himself being pushed inside and the door closed behind him.

Blaise cast a spell on the door so _Alohomora_ couldn't open it. He had been hiding under Vector's desk before he pushed Sirius. He was glad Sirius was off-guard because he was weaker than Sirius, so he wouldn't have been able to push him otherwise. Blaise walked silently out of the room with a grin. All he had to do now was wait.

"Where's Black?" Lily demanded.

"We don't know!" said James, Remus, Sapphire, Jessie, and Peter for the 20th time.

A group of girls Lily had sent on a search party ran up to her. "We can't find Luts anywhere."

"Did those two plan on disappearing just to ruin the play!" Lily was more upset than she had been in a long time, but she was trying to hide it by acting angry. "What are we going to do? We have to perform; Dumbledore and the whole school are counting on us, but-but we don't have any understudies, so nobody else can do it." Tears came out of her eyes; she couldn't hold them in anymore. "All of my work, all of everyone's work, was _wasted_!" Lily brushed away her tears. _I'm too strong to cry,_ she told herself. Still, she wasn't comforted until she felt arms around her. They were such caring arms. Whose were they? She looked and saw that they were James Potter's.

"I'll think of something. Don't worry, Lily," he assured.

_When did he start calling me Lily instead of Evans?_ She didn't know, but she liked it.

James turned to his friends, still holding Lily. "Peter, I know you have the Marauder Emergency Kit, so take Remus and find Sirius. I'm worried since he wouldn't disappear on purpose. Not today. Turn Hogwarts upside down if you have to while I think of a way to stall the play."

"Actually, James, um..." the normally calm Remus stammered as he and Sapphire exchanged important looks. "We, that is, Sapphire and I, uh, know Juliet and Romeo's lines."

"Why didn't you say this before?"

"We get stage fright."

"Then, will you be able to do it?"

"Sure. We're Gryffindors, aren't we?" Remus wished he were as confident as he sounded.

"That's what I like to hear! In that case, Jessie, you go with Peter, and Remus and Sapphire go to costumes."

Jessie hated being told what to do, but she planned on looking for Sirius again anyway, so she didn't argue. She hugged Sapphire. "I'm sorry I have to miss your moment in the spotlight."

Sapphire shivered. "Please, don't call it that. I'm nervous enough already."

"You'll do great and so will Remus. You'll see." With that she left with Peter.

Someone screamed.

"_Lumos_!" cried Sirius as he pulled out his wand.

"Oh, it's you, Sirius," said Olivia, relieved. "Can you get us out of here...Wherever 'here' is?"

Sirius looked around. "It's a closet. Did you try opening the door?"

"It's locked."

"Did you try _Alohomora_?"

"What's that?"

_Merlin, she's really stupid,_ he thought. When he tried the charm, though, it didn't work. "I guess we're stuck here." _I wish I had my magic knife._

"But what about the play?"

Sirius shook his head sadly; he didn't want to let everyone down. "I don't know."

Olivia started to cry.

He sighed and hugged her to calm her down. After all, he didn't have anything else to do.

"Where did Sirius say he went?" Jessie asked.

Peter took the lollypop out of his mouth so he could answer. "Professor Vector's class, but I checked there. It was empty."

"Did you just open the door and glance in the room, or did you really _check_?"

"Just glanced." He shrugged and put the candy back in his mouth.

_Merlin, he's really stupid,_ thought Jessie. "Let's go there then." As Peter said, when they got there it seemed empty, but a door of a closet caught her eye. She went over to it and tried the knob. Locked.

Inside, Sirius heard the door handle jiggle. _Is it my imagination?_

Jessie was about to take out her wand when Peter handed her a knife from a bag that was the same shade of pink as the Marauders' picnic basket. She shrugged and slid it through the door crack. It clicked open and she pushed the door. What did she see? Sirius was in a dark closet holding the girl that the rumours said he had been cheating on her with. "SIRIUS, HOW COULD YOU!"

Sirius came out of the closet, rubbing his eyes against the light. "Listen, I-"

"NO! I'm not going to listen! I never want to speak to you again!" She added quietly and deadly sirius. "And this time I mean it."

She ran from the room and the man that had just broken her heart.

Sirius left without looking at Peter or Olivia. He needed to find James.


	15. Blahh

chapter fifteen **Blahh**

"Remus, I really think you should go," said Sirius that night in the boys' dorm.

"Well, I really think I shouldn't."

"You should take Sapphire to the cast party. You both did a great job; you deserve it."

"I wouldn't have any fun knowing you were here like this."

"Why do you have to be so nice?"

"Why do you have to be so difficult?"

James said, "Enough. If Jessie won't talk to you then Remus or I could explain it to her."

Sirius shook his head. "She'd think you were lying for my sake."

"What about Sapphire?" Remus asked.

"She'll take Jessie's side."

"I will not," stated Sapphire, walking into the room. "At least not until I hear your side, and it better be good because I've _never_ seen my sister this upset."

For the second time (He'd already told James and Remus, but Peter had been in the kitchen.) Sirius explained what had happened.

"Do you have any idea who pushed you in?" she asked.

"No." He punched his pillow angrily. "Who'd want to ruin my relationship with Jessie?"

"Could it have been Olivia's plan?"

"Probably not; she's too thick."

"Sirius!"

"It's true."

"Well, could you ask her to tell everyone you weren't really snogging?"

"No one would believe her or me because we both have too much _experience_ and the whole bloody school knows it."

Sapphire couldn't argue with that. "It's all my fault. I'm the one that told her to go out with you in the first place. If I hadn't then neither one of you would be hurting now." She slapped herself across the face like a house-elf punishing itself.

"Gemmy!" cried Remus. He grabbed her hands and kissed them so she couldn't do it again.

James patted her shoulder. "This is not your fault; it's whoever was in on the plan to break them up, and we're going to find out who they are and make them pay."

She didn't doubt his words. James and Sirius could lose control when they were angry enough. No wanting them to do something they would regret later, she decided to learn the truth and fix it herself.

"So, Saphy, will you talk to Jessie?" asked Sirius.

"I will, but don't get your hopes up. Broken-hearted girls don't usually listen to reason."

As Sapphire thought, Jessie hadn't believed her. The next day Sapphire paced back and forth in her dorm thinking even harder than usual.

"Stay still; you're making me dizzy," said Stella.

Suddenly, she stopped pacing. "Brilliant!"

"That I'm dizzy?"

"No. All I had to do was ask myself, 'If I wanted to break Jessie and Sirius up who would I ask for help' and the answer came to me!"

"Who?"

"Blaise."

"What! Why would he do that?"

"He probably thinks Sirius is dangerous. Remember in fourth year I dated Nicholas Something from Hufflepuff and Blaise told me to break up with him because he didn't trust him?"

"Yeah, and you did, but not because Blaise told you to. You did because...um, I think you said, 'It's riddikulus! No matter whom I go out with I think about Remus Lupin. If I don't get together with him I don't think I'll ever be happy."

Sapphire blushed. "That's right. Well, Blaise told me if I didn't he would make sure he broke us up."

"He did not!" gasped Stella.

"He did, and Blaise is terribly clever; you ought to know since you're dating him, so I bet he could have."

Stella thought about it. "You're right."

"Blaise wouldn't tell Jessie to dump Sirius because he knows she hates being told what to do. I bet he just went head and did it."

"Are you going to tell the Marauders?"

"Of course not! I love Blaise and I don't want him to get hurt."

"So what are you going to do?"

"_I_ am not going to do anything. _You_ are going to talk to Blaise about this."

"Why me?" Stella groaned.

"Because he won't talk to me about it. He knows Sirius is like a brother to me."

"OK," she sighed.

Sirius took a long drink of Firewhiskey down at the Hog's Head.

"Hey, Padfoot, we thought you'd be here, said James as he and Remus pulled up chairs next to him.

"Where's Wormtail?"

"Dunno. I think he and Olivia are talking about their favourite food flavours," shrugged James. "Anyway, how are you holding up?"

"It's weird. I shouldn't feel so lost just because of a girl, but I do. I know I was fine before I knew her, so I should be fine again, yet I'm not. Maybe I should ask Blahh for help."

"Blah?" asked Remus. "Like, blah blah blah?"

"No, Moony, _Blahh_" James corrected. "There's an extra h."

"OK. So who's Blahh?"

"The Marauder Saviour. Padfoot and me came up with it this summer when we were drunk."

"Why am I unsurprised?" sighed Remus. "Look, I don't think this Blahh can help you, Sirius, because I'm pretty sure you're in love."

Sirius spit out his drink. "L-love? Don't be stupid! I'm Sirius Orion Black and I am never EVER falling in love." He got up and starting walking towards the door. I know what _will_ help. I need to back into the dating game, that's all."

"That isn't a good idea," Remus said.

"I agree with Moony," stated James.

"Well, you're both wrong. You'll see." Sirius stormed out.

James and Remus looked at each other and muttered, "Uh-oh."


	16. Stars

chapter sixteen **Stars**

"Gina, how could you?" asked Jessie. "Sirius only asked you out to get back at me, and he cheated on me. How _could_ you say 'yes?"

"I like him. Besides, if you don't care about him anymore what does it matter?" Gina was running around their dorm picking out an outfit for her trip to Hogsmeade with Sirius the next day. She had actually asked Sirius out, not the other way around like Jessie thought, but she wasn't about to correct Jessie.

Sirius was almost drunk when she asked him, otherwise he would have rejected her since he knew she was Jessie's best mate.

"He's a bloody jerk and I have no feelings left for him," lied Jessie, then said honestly, "I don't want you getting hurt too."

Gina put on her cosmetics. "I won't." _Because Blaise doesn't care who I date,_ she thought.

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Stella wore her cloak against the November wind as she walked on the Hogwarts grounds holding hands with Blaise. "So...what do you think of Sirius' and Jessie's break up?"

"It's good. My cousin could do much better."

"What's wrong with Sirius?"

"He's a player."

"Before he went out with Jessie, but not anymore."

"If you put a cat with a dog does the dog change into a cat?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Exactly," Blaise said. "Anyway, Sweetie, is there a point to this?"

"You're so happy and _unsurprised_ at the break up I wondered if you had anything to do with it."

He smiled. "I knew that you were nice, and I knew that you were pretty, but I had no clue you were so smart." For some reason Stella thought this sounded like something James would have said to Lily before his head had swelled down a bit.

She stopped walking and stared at him. "You did do something." She had still hoped that, for once, Sapphire had been wrong. "Was it all your idea?"

"Yep," he answered proudly. "I mean, Tina or Gina or Whatever-her-name-is helped, yet I came up with the whole plan and could've one it without her. She just made it easier for me."

"But you really upset Jessie and Sirius!" cried Stella.

"I could care less about Sirius; he would've hurt Jessie. Someday she'll realize that and thank me. Until then, you're right; Jessie is upset enough, so we don't want to make it worse by telling her that her cousin and best friend saved her from Sirius before she's ready to hear it."

"Oh, dearest, I know you meant well, though I think you made a mistake. Jessie really should know the truth."

"Eventually, I'll tell her. You must promise not to say a word to anyone."

"Whom would I tell?" she asked innocently.

"Instantly, he replied, "Sapphire."

_Saphy's right; he is terribly clever,_ she thought.

"Promise me," he repeated.

"I don't kno-" she started to say, but Blaise cut her off with a deep kiss, and Stella realized that she would promise him anything that he wanted.

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In early December Jessie was throwing snowballs she made for Neko to chase in the courtyard when she heard a voice she knew too well ask, "Can I sit with you?" She ignored it.

Sirius sat in the snow next to her. "I know you're not talking to me, yet I can still talk to you. I'm not going to apologize for something I didn't do, but I wish you'd see that you have nothing to be mad about."

Jessie scooted away from him.

"C'mon. Say something."

She sighed, "How can what I saw with my own eyes be 'nothing?' And what about all the girls you dated since we broke up? I don't just mean Gina; she told me after one date you told her you didn't want to see her again. I mean the other girls."

"I went out with them so I could forget about you, except Gina. I didn't want to go out with her in the first place, but she asked me when I wasn't thinking and I promised I'd go."

"Forget me? Gee, thanks," she said sarcastically. _He must not be making up that part about Gina. She wouldn't ask out my ex-boyfriend...Would she?_

"I _tried_ to forget you, but I _couldn't_." He was unsure if he should tell her the rest, for he hadn't even told James. He decided to because it might make her see how much he cared. "I still can't forget you, Jessie, no matter what I do. It's like I need you and, well, that kinda scares me."

"You're a good liar, but you're still a liar. Don't talk to me anymore, OK? It'll be easier for us both if you don't," she sadly replied and left him there.

He opened up to her, which was very hard for him to do, and this was how she treated him? "Screw her," he said, even though Neko was the only one around to hear.

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Sirius didn't touch his breakfast the next morning, though he did open a letter he'd gotten. It read:

**You are cordially invited to the wedding of Remus Lupin and Sapphire McGonagall on the hill on the outskirts of Hogsmeade this Christmas Eve. Dress warmly!**

Across from Sirius, James, who had naturally gotten one too, asked, "Is this a joke?"

"No," Remus replied.

"But that only gives us two weeks to get ready, and why Christmas Eve for Merlin's sake?"

Sapphire answered, "It gives my dad less time to find an excuse not to come. My parents were invited, of course."

Remus said quietly, "And it's half-moon on Christmas Eve." The Marauders and Sapphire knew half-moon was when Remus felt healthiest.

Peter put down his fork and invitation and asked, "Who's the Best Man and Maid of Honour?"

"I couldn't choose just one of you," sighed Remus to the other three Marauders. "So you have to be Best Men."

"Isn't that against the rules?"

"We're getting married on a snowy hill with our headmaster saying the vows instead of a priest." Remus smiled. "We can make our own rules."

Sirius laughed, "Spoken like a true Marauder, Moony."

Sapphire stated, "Jessie is the Maid of Honour and Stella is a Bride's Maid. We aren't going to have a ring bearer or flower girl since we don't need them. Remmy and I have each other. We don't need anything fancy."

Sirius gagged, but then laughed again. "This'll be fun!"

Remus whispered to James, "Gemmy also thought the wedding would take Jessie and Sirius' minds off their break up."

James looked at the other end of the Gryffndor table where Jessie hadn't touched her breakfast either, yet she was smiling to Lily, Stella, and Gina as she showed them a letter. Then Lily showed Jessie an envelope. "Was Lily invited too?"

"Of course," Remus and Sapphire said together. "Who would you dance with at the wedding reception if she wasn't?"

James grinned.

**Minerva's Note:** This chapter is called "Stars" because Stella means star in Old French and Sirius is, as I am sure most of you are already aware, the dog star, and both Sirius and Stella had important discussions in this chapter.


	17. The Eve of Christmas

chapter seventen The Eve of Christmas

Stella and Lily helped Sapphire brush her long hair in their dorm on her wedding day. "You look beautiful, Saphy. Really you do, but why didn't you get a white dress."

Sapphire was wearing a long-sleeved, full-length gown of a pale gold colour with embroidery of blue beads that had the neckline cut to show the top of her large breasts. "There's going to be snow everywhere; you'd barely be able to see me if I wore white, and all of the white dresses had lace." She hated lace. ""Still, I can't believe I let Jessie talk me into getting _this_ dress."

Lily wondered, "What's wrong with it? I mean it goes so well with your eyes and hair. You like clothes like that."

"I know, but I think it shows too much."

Stella rolled her eyes. "You've got a figure most girls would kill for, including me, so you might as well show it off once in a while."

Sapphire stated, "I guess."

"Besides," said Stella slyly. "Once the wedding is over and you and Remus are alone I don't think you'll have to worry about wearing it much longer."

Her faced turned blood red and she said nothing.

Laughing, Stella asked, "Are you sure you don't want any make-up?"

Jessie knocked and came in answering, "Saphy thinks make-up is the root of all evil." Jessie and Stella were wearing identical violet dresses since they were part of the reception. Lily decided to wear green.

"I do," Sapphire agreed.

Lily said, "Hey, you aren't supposed to say that until the wedding." She laughed with Stella and Jessie.

"Could you guys leave, please? I need a minute alone," stated Sapphire politely.

Jessie and Lily left, yet Stella had to ask, "What's wrong?"

"It isn't fair that I should get to be so happy and Jessie has to be so sad. Are you sure Blaise didn't say anything when you talked to him about it?"

Stella looked at the floor. "I'm sure."

"I was certain he had something to do with it, even Lupine thought so. Oh well, you're my best mate and I know you wouldn't lie to me."

Guilt filled Stella so much that she blurted, "All right, all right! Blaise told me he and Gina did it and made me promise not to tell anyone."

Sapphire hugged her. "You did the right thing. Don't worry, I won't let Blaise know you told me."

"Thanks."

"Now, let's go. I have to get married!"

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Nervous, Moony?" asked James while the Marauders walked to Hogsmeade. He, Sirius, and Peter had on black suits and Remus' was blue.

"Extremely," stated Remus.

James chuckled. "Why? You don't think Gem is going to come up to you and say, 'Sorry, but these past few years have been an act. I actually hate you and I'd never marry you' do you?"

"No, it doesn't have to do with the wedding."

Sirius guessed, smirking, "It has to do with _after_ the wedding since everybody knows what happens on the wedding night."

Remus' cheeks flushed.

"Ha! I love being right!" cried Sirius happily. "Don't worry about it. I know you haven't done it before, but neither has she. You'll both like it, trust me. The best part is when the girl-"

Remus felt sick. "Padfoot, stop talking."

"OK. We're here anyway."

Dumbledore stood behind a Sapphire alter that he'd conjured and the audience sat on benches in front of it. Sapphire and Remus liked things quaint and romantic, so the only guests were Anne and John Lupin, Blaise, Lily, Mr. and Mrs. McGonagall, Minerva, and two individuals Remus had never met, but he knew they must be Chrissy and Ryan. Everyone else was part of the reception.

Standing at the alter with his friends behind him and Jessie and Stella on the other side of the alter, Remus waited for Sapphire to come up the hill. When she did he wished time would've stopped so someone could have painted a portrait of how gorgeous Sapphire looked with snow-covered trees in the background and hung it in a museum for the world to admire forever. Naturally, that is not what happened. Sapphire walked down the aisle and her father got up to give her away unsmiling.

With Sapphire and Remus holding hands Dumbledore read the vows that were clearly tweaked, "We are here today to see two individuals that were smitten with each other since they were eleven to be joined in matrimony. Do you, Remmy and Gemmy, take one another in sickness and in health, for rich or poor, when drunk or sober for as long as you both shall live?"

The word "individuals" had made Sapphire happy, yet now she was confused. How did Dumbledore know the pet names she and Remus used for each other? "I do."

"I do," Remus stated.

"Is there anyone crazy enough to think these two should not be wed? If so, speak now or deal with the marriage and be happy about it."

No one said a word, but Remus suspected Mr. McGonagall wanted to.

"Then by the power invested in me by Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic I pronounce you husband and wife. Go ahead and snog so I can go back to school and have a lemon drop," finished Dumbleore with a chuckle.

Remus and Sapphire were laughing so hard that it was a minute before they were calm enough to kiss.

Minerva McGonagall went up to Dumbledore after everybody clapped for the couple. "Albus, why did you say that?"

"Well, my dear Minerva, Mr. Black said that Miss McGonagall- I'm sorry, she's Mrs. Lupin now- gets stressed over everything and that Mr. Lupin would be nervous to, and that such a speech would help them both be more at ease. He wrote it all."

Minerva looked over at Sapphire, who was suggesting to her friends that they sled down the hill. "It seems to have worked."

"Indeed. Would you like to come back and have some lemon drops with me."

"I suppose." That's exactly what they did.

"Saphy-kins?" Sapphire's parents came over to her.

"Yes?"

Her father asked, "Why? Why did you marry before you graduated?"

She shrugged. "Lots of reasons, but as long as we're in love it doesn't matter when we marry."

"That's right." Her mother hugged her and whispered in her ear, "I just want to warn you: it hurts your first time."

Sapphire jumped away from her blushing. "Mum!"

"Oh, you really are a 'blushing bride!" cried Remus' mother, hugging her too.

"Nice to see you, Anne," said Sapphire.

Mr. McGonagall looked at Remus' father. "You don't have a problem with this?"

"By 'this' I guess you mean the marriage. Of course not. Sapphire has only been over our flat a couple of times, but I know her enough to see she's an intelligent young woman that knows what she's doing, and Remus thinks carefully about everything that he does, so I trust his judgment," answered John pleasantly. It was no mystery where Remus got his personality.

"It just must be me," muttered Mr. McGonagall, walking away with his wife.

Jessie and Remus came over then.

"Who's this?" Anne Lupin asked.

"My new sister!" answered Remus. "I never liked being an only child." His saw his parents give each other a look that he did not understand.

"Well, see you later, darlings," said Anne, and Sapphire's in-laws left.

"What's wrong with them?" wondered Jessie.

"It's my fault," Remus replied. "They always get like that when I mention siblings. I haven't a clue why."

"Not to change the subject, but Jessie, I need to tell you something," Sapphire stated siriusly.

"OK."

"Wait, should I leave?" asked Remus.

"No, you can hear too as long as you don't tell James and Sirius." Sapphire then explained the break up.

Jessie stomped over to Blaise. "Did you and Gina make me and Sirius break up?" she demanded bluntly.

"Yes," he answered, just as blunt. "It was for your own good."

Jessie gasped at what a terrible mistake she'd made.

**Minerva's Note:** I loved making up Dumbledore's part for this chapter!


	18. Room of Requirement

chapter eighteen **Room of Requirement**

"Sirius!" Jessie ran straight to him after she'd spoken with Blaise. "I need to talk to you."

He got off of his sled and walked her away from the group. "Well?"

"Listen, I'm so, so sorry I didn't believe you. Blaise pushed you in the closet, and he and Gina started the rumour. "Do you forgive me?"

"I forgive you, Jessie, but I don't think we should date again."

Jessie was shocked and hurt. "Why not?"

"You didn't trust me to be faithful to you. What's a relationship without trust? I shared my feelings with you and you called them lies. That hurt worse than a kick in the balls, and that's saying something."

"I know. I'm sorry," Jessie said quietly. She'd never felt this guilty before. "Can we still be friends?"

Sirius thought about it. "I'd like that."

She hugged him tightly, wishing things didn't have to end this way, yet glad that they could stay friends. She would rather be friends than nothing.

"I have to go," Sirius told her. "Prongs and I have something to do."

Pulling away from him, she asked, "Who's Prongs?"

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out." Sirius walked away, which was fine with Jessie since she didn't want him to see her wipe the tears from her eyes. She turned around just as Sapphire threw the bouquet. She absently lifted her hand into the air and, to her surprise, caught it.

"Ooooh, Jessie, who are you going to marry?" teased Sirius.

_I wish it was you_, she thought, but said, "Dumbledore. I'm stealing him from Auntie Minerva."

Everyone chuckled.

"I don't blame you," said Chrissy. "I mean, there's something sexy about that long beard."

Again, everybody was amused.

"Remus! Sapphire! Come here!" shouted James and Sirius together a moment later.

"What is it?" Remus asked. Sirius grabbed him as James grabbed Sapphire and the newly-weds were dragged back to Hogwarts and through many corridors until they stopped at a tapestry. James let go of Sapphire and paced back in forth in front of it three times. Suddenly, a door appeared and James opened it so Sirius pushed Remus and Sapphire through the doorway.

"Have fun," grinned James.

"And _don't_ behave yourselves," Sirius added laughing as he closed the door.

Sapphire and Remus gaped in confusion. Then, they looked around the room. There were scented candles lit around a large bed covered in rose petals and a jacuzzi bathtub surrounded by bottles of body lotion. Romantic music was coming from somewhere.

"I don't suppose we're meant to play Quidditch in here," joked Sapphire awkwardly. She sat down on the bed to steady her nerves.

"No, we're not," Remus agreed, sitting down next to her. "Look, um, I know what my mates expect us to do, but if you don't want to it's all right."

She looked at him. "What makes you think I don't want to? Don't you want to?"

"Well, of course I do. I mean, I love you more than anything and," Remus blushed. "It's hard to ignore that you're so beautiful."

Sapphire smiled.

He continued, "I just do not want you to do anything because you feel like you have to."

"Remmy, I'm the wife of the sweetest, most handsome man in the world and I want to have his children. Why wouldn't I want to?" She didn't wait for an answer. Slowly, she slid onto his lap.

Remus wrapped his arms around her warm body and kissed her with a passion that she immediately returned. Sapphire's golden hair fell about them as he guided her onto her back.

**Minerva's Note:** I would really like to thank my reviewers that are still interested in the story. Without you I would quit writing it! Anyway, what will Sirius do now that he knows the break-up was Blaise's fault?


	19. Ravenclaws

chapter nineteen Ravenclaws

Lily heard a knock on her dorm door and when she opened it she saw Jessie. "What's up?"

"Can I sleep in Sapphire's bed tonight since she's not here? I really don't want to be near Gina."

"Sure." She opened the door wider to let Jessie in. "But why are you mad at Gina?"

Jessie lay on her stomach on Sapphire's bed. "She helped Blaise break us up just so she could go out with Sirius."

"Merlin! Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Blaise told me she helped him, but the arrogant prick said he could've done it without her...I guess he could have. Anyway, I asked Gina why she helped and she was so afraid I'd hex her that she told me the truth."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

"Does Sirius know?"

"Yeah, but because since I didn't believe him before he doesn't want to get back together. I don't blame him."

"No, that isn't what I meant." Lily looked worried. "Won't Sirius, and maybe James too, want to get back at Blaise?"

"Oh no! That's true!" Jessie got up and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I've got to stop them. I might be angry with my cousin who's too smart for his own good, but I still love him, so if anyone hurts him it's gonna be me."

"I'll come with you."

They had run down the stairs and out of the common room when Jessie asked, "Wait a minute, when did you start calling him 'James' instead of 'Potter?"

Lily froze. "I don't know..."

Jessie had to laugh. "It doesn't matter. Let's go."

James and Sirius grinned as they left Remus and Sapphire in the Room of Requirement.

"I bet we won't be seeing them until sometime tomorrow," chuckled James. "We've got to make him tell us all about it."

"Moony doesn't even snog and tell. Do you really think he'll shag and tell?"

"Oh, I guess not." James shrugged. "Well, if he wasn't polite like that he wouldn't be Moony."

Sirius nodded. "I'm kind-of glad he isn't here right now, though."

"Why?"

"I'm gonna kick Blaise's arse and I know he'd try to talk me out of it."

"Jessie and Gem's cousin?"

"Yep."

"I hope you have a good reason."

"He's the one who broke me and Jessie up, and no one interferes in my life and gets away with it."

James was shocked. "He did? Wow...I won't try to stop you. I'll help."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know, but you're my best mate; if someone messes with you they mess with me too."

Sirius beamed at his friend.

"I'm Head Boy, so I know all the common room passwords. C'mon." He led Sirius to a portrait of a well dressed, boring looking man.

"Password?"

James answered, "Red cap." The portrait swung open and he stepped inside with Sirius. The Ravenclaws were a quieter lot than the Gryffindors since most of them were reading instead of talking. One group by the fireplace, though, seemed to have finished their work and were laughing together. They were obviously the most popular students in the House. Somehow it didn't surprise Sirius and James that Blaise was one of them. What surprised them was that one of Blaise's friends looked _very_ familiar.

"Remus," Sirius muttered to himself.

The Ravenclaws looked up. "Who?"

"He," Sirius pointed to the boy, "looks like one of our mates that's all."

"I'm Romulous Jones," said the boy politely. His voice even sounded like Remus'! "Well, actually, Jones is just the last name the orphanage gave me. No one knows my real last name."

Sirius was about to speak again when Blaise stated, "I know you guys are here to see me, so don't bother my friends." He stood up. "Let's go out into the corridor."

James and Sirius never would have admitted it, but they were impressed by the fact that Blaise did everything he could to protect his friends and family. As they went through the portrait hole James looked back over his shoulder at the Ravenclaws.

"Maybe you and this Remus guy are related," one boy told Romulous.

Romulous laughed the same way Remus did as he replied, "What parents put one child in an orphanage and keep the other one?"

"You're probably not related," a pretty brunette agreed. "But since you don't know you're last name maybe you're a long lost prince!"

He laughed again. "All right, I'll be a prince if you be my princess." The girl blushed, so Romulous winked at her.

James knew that had not been like their fellow Marauder at all. Remus had never had much confidence; it had taken him years to go out with the girl he fancied, and even then she'd made the first move, so the idea of Remus flirting was riddikulus. Still, Romulous looked and sounded so much like Remus that even if he didn't completely act like him James could not ignore it. The portrait closed.

"Well?" asked Blaise.

Sirius glared. "Don't act like you don't know why we're here."

Blaise looked bored. "You're mad that I stopped you from using my cousin."

"I didn't ever use her!" Sirius yelled.

He shrugged. "Maybe not yet, but I'm sure you would have."

Sirius pointed his wand at Blaise. "I'D NEVER HURT JESSIE BECAUSE I LO-" Sirius stopped in mid-sentence, dropped his wand, and his jaw fell open in shock; he'd almost said that he loved her._ I couldn't be in love with her, could I? _

Blaise yawned, "Are you finished?"

"No," said James at once. If Sirius could not fight then James would fight for him. He reached for his wand.

"Yes, you _are_ finished!" declared Lily, coming into the corridor with Jessie.

James was surprised. "What are you doing here?"

It was Jessie that answered, "Making sure you guys leave him alone."

Jessie's voice woke Sirius up from his thoughts. "Whatever." He started to leave. "Come on. He isn't worth our time."

"You're just lucky Lily and Jessie were here," James told Blaise before following Sirius.

When they were out of sight Jessie cried, "Blaise, what were you thinking? James and Sirius are really good wizards and they're a year older than you; you could've been hurt!"

Rolling his eyes, Blaise replied, "I'm a good wizard too. Besides, you don't care what happens to me. All you care about is Sirius because he's a pretty boy that says he loves you."

Her eyes widened. "Sirius never told me that he loved me."

"Well, he was about to tell me that. Of course, I knew he was lying."

"Sirius wouldn't lie about that, so..." Jessie's heart filled with warmth. "He loves me!"

"I can't get through your thick skull to stay away from him! I give up." Blaise went back into the Ravenclaw common room.

"Lily, did you hear that?" smiled Jessie.

"Huh?" She was staring at the spot James had been standing minutes before.

"Never mind. Let's go back to the dorm to wait for Saphy."


	20. What's Love

chapter twenty **What's Love?**

Remus went back to his dorm late the next morning with a big smile on his face. "Good morning, Marauders! Isn't it a beautiful day?"

Peter let out a snore from his bed.

James smirked. "You seem energetic for someone who probably didn't get any sleep."

Remus flushed, but still smiled.

"Moony?" said Sirius suddenly. "What do you love about Saphy?"

"The fact that she studies hard, the way she blushes, how she holds me-"

Sirius cut him off since Remus could clearly go on for hours. "What I meant was _why_ do you love her?"

"There isn't a reason. When you love somebody you just love them."

"How do you know when you're in love? What's love?"

Remus took a moment to think before answering, "You know how I was listing the little things about her. That's love; appreciating the details. Things like purity of blood and money don't matter."

"Why are you asking? Do you reckon you love Jessie?" asked James.

Sirius nodded.

"That's great!" cried Remus. "When are you going to tell her?"

"Never."

"What!" James and Remus were stunned.

"I don't think I'd be able to take it if she didn't love me back," muttered Sirius.

James gave Sirius a brotherly hug, knowing how hard it was for him to admit vulnerability.

"Who wouldn't love you?" Remus smiled.

"I guess she could love me, but she doesn't trust me," Sirius reminded them.

"I can tell she regrets mistrusting you, so I'm sure she'd trust you from now on. I can also tell she loves you by the way she looks at you; it's the same way James looks a Lily," said Remus.

Sirius stared at James. "You love Lily? I thought you just fancied her."

"Of course I love her. I think I always have and that's why I never gave up on her...Well, that, and I'm incredibly charming."

"Does Lily know?" Sirius added, "I mean about you loving her, not about you being **incredibly charming.**" He rolled his eyes. _We all know the charming one is me!_

Remus stated, "All she knows is that James used to stalk her."

Sirius laughed.

James acted like he hadn't heard Remus' statement and told Sirius, "I haven't told Lily because I don't want to scare her off. After all, she started being nice to me a few months ago. You, on the other hand, ought to tell Jessie right away so you can snog and make-up and live happily ever after."

Sirius looked at Remus and James and sighed, "I don't know if it's a good idea, but if both of you think I should then I will." His eyes fell on the pink picnic basket. He grinned, "And I'll do it with style!"

Sapphire walked into her dorm humming.

"Bout time you _finally_ got here," Jessie joked.

"What are you doing here, Jessie?" Sapphire asked before she started humming again.

"Avoiding Gina."

She stopped humming and grew sirius. "Oh."

Jessie waved her hand. "Don't worry about it; I don't care about Gina. Go ahead and be happy."

Sapphire giggled, something she rarely did, and hummed again.

Stella noted with a smile, "I guess it didn't hurt Saphy very much or she wouldn't be in such a good mood."

"Since she's back, though, you're going to have to go back to your dorm tonight," Lily told Jessie.

Jessie sighed, but nodded.

"No, you won't," Sapphire said, finally finishing her tune.

"Why not?" Jessie was confused, and so were the other girls.

"I'm going to stay in Remmy's dorm from now on." She laughed at the scandalised looks on their faces. "Don't worry; we're not going to do anything with James, Sirius, and Peter in the room; we just like seeing each other when we open our eyes in the morning."

"But-" Stella began.

Sapphire guessed her statement and said, "The teachers won't know. They almost never come into the common room and they don't ever go into the dorms unless there's a weird emergency."

Lily tried, "But-"

"The boys won't mind either. I get along well with Peter and James, and Sirius loves me," she answered Lily's unfinished complaint.

"I think the Marauders have corrupted you." Lily shook her head sadly.

Stella and Sapphire laughed, but Jessie stayed silent.

"Are you all right?" Stella wanted to know.

Though Stella had asked the question Jessie looked at Sapphire. "I know Sirius loves you like a sister, but I don't think he loves me at all."

Before Sapphire could say anything Lily pointed out, "It doesn't matter if he's in love with you unless you're in love with him."

"I might be, but I'm not sure I know what love is." Jessie looked at her older sister again. "What's love?"

After a minute of thought Sapphire replied, "I would do anything to make Remus happy no matter how much it hurt me because if he's upset I've no chance of ever being happy myself. Yes...love's like that."

"So, do you love Sirius?" asked Stella eagerly.

Slowly, Jessie nodded.

Sapphire beamed. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go tell him!"

"He doesn't even want to get back together with me and you want me to-to tell him I love him!"

"If you don't you'll always wonder what would've happened if you did," Sapphire stated.

Lupine purred, rubbed encouragingly against Jessie's leg, and that decided matters. She went down to the common room and saw Sirius sitting in an armchair with something pink on his lap. "Could we talk?"

Sirius grinned, "Only if we go for a picnic."

For the second time Jessie was confused, but she agreed, "OK."


	21. Merlot

chapter twenty-one **Merlot**

Sirius and Jessie walked onto the grounds with Sirius carrying the pink picnic basket. When they got to the Marauders' tree he pulled a blanket out of the basket and spread it on the ground.

"What'll you have, Jessie?" asked Sirius as they sat down on it.

Jessie looked at the basket. "What's in there?"

"Nothing and everything?"

"What?"

"There's nothing in it until you say what you want. Then, anything can be in it, so everything could be in it."

"Riiight..." She was confused. "Why don't you just surprise me?" Usually. Jessie hated surprises, but she wanted today to be special.

Grinning, Sirius took out two wine glasses and a bottle of French alcohol.

"Merlot! How did you know that was my favourite drink?"

"I have my ways."

"Well, don't bother trying to get me drunk," she said, taking the full glass Sirius gave her. "I've never gotten drunk because I know my limit."

"And how do you know your limit if you've never been drunk?"

"I have my ways." Jessie smirked at him.

He chuckled before drinking half of his glass in one sip. "Listen, I need to tell you something."

"I need to tell you something too."

"Ladies first."

"All right, Sirius, you go first," she teased. Sirius jumped up and tickled her. She laughed until her breath caught in her throat; he was almost lying on top of her.

Sirius realised Jessie had stopped laughing. "You OK?"

Her voice wouldn't work no matter how many times she opened and closed her mouth.

That's when Sirius noticed their position. He smiled down at her mischievously and kissed her hard on the lips.

She kissed him back instantly; Jessie had missed his kisses. "Is that what you had to say to me?" she asked, amused, when they finally broke apart.

"No, you're just so bloody attractive I decided to throw it in," he replied honestly without shame as he sat up again. He took her hands in his. "What I had to tell you is that...I..."

Jessie held her breath.

"I love you."

An urge to sing and dance filled her body, yet then she remembered that her singing wasn't awful, but Sapphire was the only one in the family that actually had a good voice, so she did not do it. Instead, she smiled and said, "I love you too."

He picked her up and happily spun her around. Setting her down again, he joked, "You really love me, right? It isn't the merlot talking?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sirius, I love you, but shut up."

"Make me."

With a kiss Jessie effectively stopped Sirius from speaking.

"I'm so happy for them," Sapphire told Remus two months later as they watched Sirius and Jessie leave the common room holding hands.

"I'm happy they're leaving," stated Remus. "I can't believe they were about to have a snogging session _here_. I mean it would've been in front of first years!"

Sapphire nodded. "But that's not all that's bothering you, Remmy. I can tell."

Remus looked at the floor; she knew him too well. "You're right, but I don't want to tell you, at least not until after Valentine's Day next week. It would upset you and ruin your fun."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "We're supposed to tell each other everything."

"I know..." Against his better judgment he said, "We can't talk about it here. Let's go up to the dorm and I'll explain it to you."is better judgment he said, "We can't talk about it here. Let's go up to the dorm and I'll explain it to you."


	22. Good Luck

chapter twenty-two **Good Luck**

James looked up from the play book that he had to work on for Quidditch since he was the captain this year and the final match of the season was coming up when he heard the dorm door open. "Hey, Moony. Hi, Gem."

Remus asked politely, "Listen is it OK if me and Gemmy talk up here for a few minutes, Prongs? It's important."

"Yep. I gotta go ask Lily out for Valentine's Day anyway."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"The 954th time is the charm."

Sapphire said, "Good Luck."

"You'll need it," Remus added.

James playfully glared at Remus before leaving the room.

"So, what is it, Remmy?" asked Sapphire.

"Well, we've been intimate at least three times a week for two months and you're not pregnant yet. Not that there's any rush, especially since we haven't even graduated, but I still thought I should do some research about it, and all I could find in the library was this." He handed her a book with a piece of parchment sticking out of it.

She opened to the book-marked page and read the text:

**When a werewolf chooses a mate they mate for life. Only death can break the bond between a werewolf and its mate. If the werewolf's mate abandon them by choice, and not by death, the werewolf will slowly die without them.  
If a werewolf mates with another werewolf then their child is born a werewolf. Being born a werewolf is different from being turned into one from a bite. Bitten werewolves are forced to transform during full moons and born werewolves transform at will.  
It is uncommon for a werewolf to choose a human or a wolf for its mate, however, when it happens they cannot produce children.**

Her hands shook and the book fell from her fingers onto the floor.

Remus took her in his arms. "I know it seems awful, but we can still adopt after all."

"It's not the same." Sapphire knew it wasn't the end of the world, though she could not help feeling upset, for when she was very young she would hold her dolls and pretend that she was their mother while Jessie was outside learning to fly a broom or playing football with Ryan and Chrissy. She'd wanted children as far back as she could remember and now she couldn't have them. It wasn't fair!

"Please, don't cry, Gemmy," Remus whispered, hugging her tighter.

She hadn't realised that tears had leaked from her eyes, yet she did not care. Unlike Jessie and Lily, who hated when anyone saw them cry because they thought it made them seem weak, Sapphire thought it was braver to show your true emotions without shame, so she leaned against Remus as she wept and let him hold her and murmur comforting words.

There was a Prefects' meeting, but Remus had told James that he had to tell Sapphire something important, so he knew James would forgive him for missing it.

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James walked into the Prefects meeting room where he, Lily, and the Prefects would sit at a round table (It reminded James a lot of King Aurthur, Merlin, and the knights of the round table.) to discuss business. He saw Lily and immediately sat next to her.

She smiled at him before quickly looking back at the book she'd been reading.

He stared around for Remus and didn't see him. He wasn't surprised; Remus had looked pretty sirius about whatever he'd needed to tell Sapphire. Or did he see Remus? Wait, that wasn't Remus! "What's he doing here?" he asked Lily.

Lily looked at what James was pointing at: two boys had come through the door. She didn't know which one he meant, so she answered as if he had asked about both of them. "Blaise McGonagall is the male sixth year Ravenclaw Prefect and Romulous Jones is the male seventh year Ravenclaw Prefect. You really should know that, James; they've been here all year."

"I remember Blaise," scowled James. He and Sirius decided to leave Blaise alone for Jessie's and Sapphire's sakes, but the two Marauders strongly disliked him. He smiled again. "But I barely notice any of the other Prefects because I'm too busy admiring your beauty."

Lily flushed at how sincere his compliment sounded. _Get a girp, it's just Potter,_ she tried to tell herself, but she knew it wasn't the Potter she loathed. This was James. Potter had been reckless and arrogant. James was only confident. Potter picked on other students and always got detentions. James did his Head Boy duties creatively and without complaint. Potter used Quidditch matches to show off. James used Quidditch for what it was meant for, having fun. Lily liked confidence because she was confident too. She admired James' talents since he used them for the right things and she could not lie to herself and say that he wasn't handsome.

"Lily?"

_I love the way he says my name._

"Lily!"

"Oh, sorry. Yes?"

"It's time to start the meeting."

"Right." She stood up and looked around the circle. "Here are the new passwords for your common rooms." She handed out a piece of parchment to everyone. "That's it for today. Please, go and make your rounds."

James watched Blaise and Romulous leave.

"What should we do tomorrow before my date with Stella?" Blaise asked.

"I have to study. N.E.W.T.s are coming up soon," Romulous replied in his Remus-ish voice as he grimaced.

"Take a break from studying. I know school is important, but you've been working all week."

James never found out if Romulous took Blaise's advice because the Ravenclaws left and closed the door behind them. By then all of the other Prefects had left also. He turned to Lily. "Remus doesn't take breaks from studying lately either."

"Really? Not even for Sapphire?"

"Well, 'studying Sapphire' is his favourite subject."

She laughed. "What does Remus have to do with anything?"

"Romulous is so much like him it's _weird._"

"Merlin, he _is_! I never noticed that."

"I've got to remember to mention it to Remus."

"Where is Remus? I didn't see him at the meeting."

"He's with Sapphire."

"How are things going living with Saphy?"

He groaned. "We have to keep everything CLEAN!"

"It can't be that bad," said Lily chuckling.

"It's not really. Peter has the most trouble with it since she won't let him keep food in the dorm because it gets moldy. She lets Remus keep his chocolate, for it doesn't go bad."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "So, the famous Marauders are letting a girl tell them what to do?"

"Of course not!" James seemed truly offended. "Well, OK, yes, but it's fair; she has to do what we say too."

"Oh, God..."

James burst out laughing. "What do you think we have her do?"

"Er."

"Risque dancing or something?"

"Or something," she agreed.

"Aw, that hurts. What sort of men do you think we are?"

"I didn't know you were _men,_" teased Lily.

He couldn't think of a comeback, so he stuck his tongue out at her.

_I wonder what his tongue would feel like in my mouth...What! I could NOT have just thought that!_

James said, "Actually, Sirius suggested the dancing just to see Remus' reaction."

"What happened?"

"I'll only say that that if looks could kill Sirius Orion Black would be dead and buried."

Lily laughed again, surprised that he could make her laugh so much. "What does she do, then?"

"She's teaching us something, but I can't tell you what."

"Um, all right."

"Lily, I'm going to ask you something."

"Should I be afraid?"

"Very."

"Right. I'm terrified."

"Good. Will you go to Hogsmeade with me on Valentine's Day?"

She was speechless. What she hated most about James was that he had asked her out daily except when he was dating Jessie. James hadn't ever asked her out; he'd been almost like a friend. Until now. She could not deny that she fancied James, though suppose if they tried being more than friends he went back to acting like Potter? His hazel eyes stared into her emerald ones, waiting for her answer. She had to say something.

Minerva's Note: I just wanted to say that ILOVE my reviewers! **harry's marauder chick**, **kat183**, and **katrina159** all have me on their alert list, so I know they're reading and not reviewing!


	23. Nerves

chapter twenty-three **Nerves**

"Yes."

"What?" His jaw dropped to the floor.

"Yes," Lily repeated.

"I must have heard you wrong."

"No, I really said, 'yes."

"Say it in a sentence."

"Yes, James, I'll go out with you."

"OK, that's settled." James tried to act calm, but ruined it by skipping out of the room.

Lily shook her head. _What have I gotten myself into?_

"I don't know what to wear!" Lily threw clothes out of her dresser drawers onto her bed on Valentine's morning.

Stella asked, "You've never worried about what to wear with all of your other boyfriends, so why start now? After all, you're one of the most gifted and popular witches at Hogwarts."

"It's different because...It's hard to explain," sighed Lily.

"Sapphire can explain almost anything," Jessie reminded her. "Do you want me to go get her?"

She thought it over. "Maybe that isn't a bad idea."

Jessie left and came back to the dorm with Sapphire, who looked at Lily and asked, "You have a problem?"

"Sort-of. I know a lot of girls care what their dates think, but I never did until now."

Sapphire nodded in understanding. "You're afraid you'll let James down. He's been chasing you for years, so he must think highly of you, and you don't want to be a disappointment."

Lily was quiet for almost two minutes and the other girls didn't think she would reply at all until she softly said, "You're right."

"Thought so. Well, don't worry; James worships you. You could spill something all over him and he'd probably think it was wonderful." Sapphire was being encouraging, yet she wasn't smiling.

Sighing in relief, Lily did not notice Sapphire's glumness. "Thanks."

Jessie noticed. "Why are you upset, Saphy? What happened?"

"Nothing happened and nothing is going to happen even though I want it to."

"I don't understand."

Sapphire looked at her little sister that had never particularly liked children and certainly didn't want any of her own. "I don't expect you to understand," she stated sadly and returned to her dorm.

"How're the girls?" Sirius asked Sapphire when she came in.

"Fine except for Lily. She's nervous."

"And James isn't?" Sirius gestured to his best mate.

"Where the bloody hell are my glasses? I don't see them!" James cried.

"They're on your face." Remus' sigh made it clear to Sapphire that James had been acting like this for a while.

"Really? Oh. Good!" James said.

"Prongs, calm down." Surprisingly, the advice came from Peter. Unsurprisingly, a compliment followed the advice. "You'll be perfectly charming, just like always."

James took a deep breath. "Of course I will be, and if Lily's freaking out about seeing me then she must really fancy me. I have nothing to worry about...Except that this is my first and only chance with her and if I blow it we'll never be together.."

"You won't blow it," Sirius told him. "You don't blow anything. You suck."

Peter asked, "He doesn't blow since he sucks? What does that mean?"

Sirius just laughed.

Remus frowned. "Trust me, Wormtail, you don't want to know."

"It isn't true anyway," mumbled James.

"So, you do blow? I'm surprised. You always struck me as a suckerer," stated Sirius, amused.

"You know I don't do either. Anyway, why are we talking about something so pointless when I have to go meet the girl of my dreams?" Shaking his head, James went out the door.

Sirius turned to Remus, "Does Sapphire suck or blow?"

Remus blushed as Sapphire said, "You're starting to get on my nerves."

"I never get on you. Moony does."

"Sirius, please stop being-"

He cut her off, "Stop being sexy? That's impossible."

"Screw you," muttered Sapphire, which shocked everyone.

Sirius wasn't shocked into silence, though. "Screw you? I love you, Saphy, but not in that way, so you should ask Remus."

Sapphire ran out of the dorm, slamming the door behind her.

"What did I do?" asked Sirius.

Remus replied, "Well, you were being more perverted than usual, but that isn't what's really bothering her. I need to talk to her." He left to find his wife.

"Don't you have to get ready to see Jessie?" Peter asked Sirius.

"Yep." Sirius stood in front of the mirror, ran his hand through his hair once, and went towards the door.

"That's all you're going to do? It'll take me a lot longer to get ready."

He stopped and stared at him. "_You_ have a date?"

"Yeah. I can get a date too, you know," answered Peter, annoyed.

"Sorry. Who is it?"

"Olivia."

Sirius had been required to kiss her during the play rehearsals and he was definitely not jealous of Peter's girl. "That's, uh, nice. Where are you going?"

"Out to eat."

_Big surprise._ "Have fun."

"You too." _None of you ever seem to have trouble having fun without me._


	24. Valentine Kiss

chapter twenty-four **Valentine Kiss**

"Sapphire?" Remus found her in the Room of Requirement, which she had made look like a baby's nursery.

"Yes?" she asked, staring at the floor.

He sat beside her and ran his fingers through her hair soothingly. "I can't stand to see you unhappy."

She sighed. "I shouldn't be acting like this. It isn't fair to you or anyone else, but I can't change how I feel."

Remus nodded. "I don't expect you to, but I do want you to look at your options. Since you won't be staying home taking care of children you, being so brilliant, can have almost any job you want."

"That's true." She brightened slightly. Motherhood would be her first choice for a career, yet if she couldn't have it something else might not be too awful. "Thanks."

"That's what I'm here for," smiled Remus. "So, do you want chocolate covered strawberries or poetry first?"

Sapphire rested her head in the crook of his arm. "You pick."

He pulled the Shakespearean book that Jessie had given him out of his pocket and read to her.

"James, are you sure this is a good idea?" Lily asked.

He simply smiled at her. "You look beautiful."

She was happy he thought so, but didn't want him to know that. "Just answer the question."

"It'll be fun," James replied as he led her to the Quidditch Pitch.

"Just because it's fun doesn't make it a good idea."

Chuckling, he said, "Too true."

_How reassuring_, she thought sarcastically.

They arrived at the Pitch and James went into the shed to get six school broomsticks. He tied them together and threw a blanket over them. "C'mon, Lily."

Lily got onto the contraption nervously. "If we die I'm telling God it was your fault."

James laughed and flew the vehicle into the air. She thought he had a very nice laugh.

Once they were high off the ground James stopped and transfigured the tiny pink picnic basket he'd been carrying back to its normal size, enabling Lily to see it for the first time.

"We're going to have a picnic on brooms?" she asked in disbelief.

He nodded as if it wasn't insane. "I go for originality."

"Well, I must admit that this isn't something I've done before."

"Excellent." He reached into the basket. "What would you like?"

"I'm serious."

"So am I!"

"It isn't safe."

"A life without danger is boring."

"If I don't get out of danger I'm going to need a firewhiskey."

He pulled a bottle of firewhiskey out of the basket and handed it to her.

Lily laughed. "You're horrible, James Potter."

"I try," he grinned.

She put the bottle back into the basket. "I hope you really didn't expect me to drink that."

"No," he sighed. "I'll take us down if you really want me to."

"Thank you."

When they were on the ground again he put the brooms away.

"Why did you want to eat up there anyway?" asked Lily.

"I wanted today to be special."

"That's sweet. Everything you do is special even if it isn't always sane."

"I'm glad you think so because our first date is going to be something our kids ask us about."

"You don't give up, do you?" She shook her head, but she was smiling.

"I finally got you to go out with me, didn't I?"

"Yes, though it took you over two years."

"The best things in life are worth waiting for."

Lily blushed at James' sincerity.

"After all," he continued, "you're smart, beautiful, fair, nice-"

Lily cut him off by pressing her lips against his mouth.

James blinked in surprise, but kissed her back instantly to assure himself that he wasn't dreaming. He held her body against him and was delighted when she squirmed with pleasure.

After they broke apart, breathing hard, Lily felt many emotions at once: weariness, joy, and above all confusion. _I almost never act without thinking, so why did I and what made me enjoy it so much?_

James only felt elated. _The pink picnic basket never fails! I can't wait to tell Sirius!_


	25. Gemini

chapter twenty-five **Gemini**

"What did you guys do?" Peter asked Sapphire and the other Marauders on the way to the Whomping Willow that night.

James beamed. "Lily is incredible! As pretty as she is when she's mad I like it better when she isn't yelling at me."

"Scale of one to ten how was the snog?" wondered Sirius, knowing without having to ask that they had kissed because of James' huge happiness.

"Twelve."

Everyone laughed.

"Well, we'll just say Jessie and I didn't do much talking." Sirius winked.

Remus stated, "Transformation is tonight and I don't have much energy, so all Gem and I did was- Hang on! Say 'Gem and I' fast; it sounds like Gemini."

"Gemandi. That's funny!" James said. "Hey, Saphy, are you a Gemini?"

"No, I'm a Pisces," answered Sapphire.

"Oh well," shrugged James.

"Anyway, all we did was talk, recite poetry and eat chocolate," Remus said.

Sirius shook his head. "Poetry, honestly! You're one-of-a-kind, Moony."

One-of-a-kind? It sparked James' memory. "What do any of you know about Romulous Jones?"

"He's a Ravenclaw Prefect in our year. I've seen him at the meetings. Why?" was Remus' answer.

James asked, "Haven't you noticed he looks like you?"

"He does not; my eyes are blue and his are brown."

"That's a big difference," Sirius stated sarcastically.

"Wait a minute," said Sapphire, pretending to be angry. "There's a guy as good-looking as Remmy and no one told me?"

Remus said, "He's actually better-looking than me. He isn't sick and weak."

"You are _not_ weak!" James, Sirius, Sapphire, and Peter cried in unison.

Peter thought, _People think I'm weak, but according to the Slytherins I overheard talking about Voldemort he gives people power. Maybe I could ask the Slytherins since they know the most about it. After all, I wouldn't mind if there was a way for me to be in charge once in a while._

"I suppose I'm not, but I look like I am," Remus told them calmly.

Sapphire turned to Remus, grabbed his shirt collar, and pulled his face close to hers. She kissed his lips for a long moment before saying, "Don't talk about yourself that way."

Showing his Marauder side, he asked, "If I do will I get kissed like that again?"

Everyone chuckled except Peter, who had changed into a rat and was holding the knot of the tree.

"Ow!" Sapphire clutched her stomach. "It hurts to laugh."

"Are you going to be okay for this tonight?" Remus asked in concern.

"Of course, I've just had a stomachache all day. Even before I ate all of that chocolate," she added.

"You're sure you're all right?"

"Uh-huh." She winced and touched her belly again.

"No, you aren't. I don't want to put you in danger; you might hurt too much to concentrate on transforming into a dove."

"But I want to come."

"I mean it. I don't want to risk your safety," Remus said firmly. _I hope she wasn't poisoned or something._

"Yes, Remmy." Sapphire bid the Marauders good night and went to Gryffindor Tower.

"I thought you and the Marauders were doing something tonight," Lily said from the couch where she had been talking to Jessie. Lily had become closer to Jessie than she had ever been with Sapphire because their personalities were similar.

"I don't feel well," Sapphire shrugged and went to the window to watch the last of the sunset, worrying about Remus. When the full moon started to come into view she screamed loudly and passed out from terrible pain.

**Minerva's Note:** What's wrong with Sapphire? I promise you tis a very interesting reason and you DO NOT want to miss the update next Tuesday!


	26. Werewolves

chapter twenty-six **Werewolves**

When Sapphire woke up she was in a bed in the Hospital Wing where James and Sirius were staring down at her worriedly and Remus doing the same from a bed next to her. "What's going on?" Her voice sounded raspy.

Madame Pomfrey and McGonagall came running over to her.

"You're hoarse from screaming," said Madame Pomfrey. "You should get your voice back in a day or two if you drink lots of tea."

Sapphire asked, "Why was I shouting? The last think I remember pain spread from my stomach to the rest of my body and everything went black."

"Your sister and Evans brought you here. You were still screaming even though you were unconscious. The whole school must have heard you and know you're here. Both of the girls, your cousin, and Stella Lation wanted to be here with you, but I sent them away since they don't know about Mr. Lupin's condition."

"What does Remmy have to do with anything?" She turned to Remus and asked, concerned, "Are you all right?"

He nodded. "Sirius and James just brought me here for the check Madame Pomfrey insists I get after every transformation."

The matron answered Sapphire, "I don't know if his condition has anything to do with you yet, but it's the only guess I can make about your behaviour."

"I'm sorry; I don't understand," replied Sapphire.

"Well, have the two of you been, um-" Pomfrey cleared her throat. "Have you and Mr. Lupin ever...er...That is, I need to know if you've, ah, well, you know, erm..."

McGonagall interrupted crisply, "Have you ever been intimate?"

Sapphire blushed many different shades of pink and nodded.

"I thought so," said Madame Pomfrey, clearly glad she hadn't had to ask the question. She never had many questions when students came in with injuries, so asking something that personal seemed inappropriate. "In that case, knowing what's wrong with you is simple, but knowing what to do about it is not so simple."

Sirius demanded, "If you know then tell us what the bloody hell happened to Saphy!"

"Black, watch your language," warned McGonagall.

Pomfrey stated, "She got pregnant."

"What!" Sapphire cried.

Remus explained, "She can't be. We read that 'werewolves and humans cannot produce children."

"They can't _produce_ children," the matron agreed. "There are pregnancies, though the babies are always miscarriages."

James said, "Pregnancies may not be pleasant, but I know they don't effect women the way it effected Sapphire."

McGonagall answered, "Poppy and I were talking about it and we both know when a werewolf and a human make a baby that the baby is the same, well, there's not another word for it," she looked at Remus apologetically, "_species_ that the father is because their species is in all of their sperm. If a female werewolf has a human child inside her when she transforms it kills the baby and that's it. On the other hand, if a female human has a werewolf infant inside her the baby dies because there isn't enough room in a human womb for it to transform. Sometimes, it tears apart the womb and other parts inside the mother trying to find space to transform, which kills the mother as well as the child."

No one made a sound for over a minute.

In a whisper Sirius bravely asked the question that everyone was thinking, "So Saphy might die?"

"Yes, it's very likely." McGonagall had tears in her eyes while she looked at her beautiful young niece that was so full of life and intelligence.

Peter walked in and put a tray of food on the table between Remus and Sapphire's beds. "Here's your breakfast," he said happily.

McGonagall blinked her eyes. "Potter, Black, Pettigrew let's go. We have a Transfiguration lesson to get to."

They left the Hospital Wing.

Remus told Madame Pomfrey, "I thought born werewolves transform at will. Can't we give Sapphire a potion to will the baby not to change into its wolf form?"

She shook her head. "In the womb werewolves always transform during the full moon instinctively and there's nothing that can stop it. Once they're born they don't have to change when the moon is full; they only change when they want to, or if they feel angry or scared. I'm sorry. I'll be in my office if either of you need anything." She went behind the door at the end of the ward.

"Gemmy?" Remus called.

Ever since her aunt had spoken Sapphire had a shocked look on her face. As she got up and laid next to Remus on his bed surprise was still the only emotion she showed.

He held her close. "Please, say something."

She didn't seem to hear him. She was staring at nothing in particular without blinking.

To bring her back to Earth Remus kissed her lips softly.

Sapphire looked into Remus' eyes. "I don't want to die," she muttered so quietly he could barely hear her.

"You won't." _Because if you die I die too. I love you so much; I don't think I could live without you._

She caressed his face. "Maybe you're right."

"Don't worry, I am." _I hope._


	27. Telling Jessie

chapter twenty-seven **Telling Jessie**

Hogwarts was an unusual place for the next few months. None of the Marauders played pranks or hexed Slytherins. It made everyone nervous.

The Marauders were nervous too. Every full moon they would go to the Whomping Willow and leave Sapphire in the Hospital Wing with Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall to watch over her, not knowing if she would be alive when they returned.

McGonagall told Jessie that Sapphire might die, but not why since she felt that was Remus' business, and Jessie was fed up. "She's my sister dammit! I've a right to know, and you clearly know, so tell me!" she yelled at Sirius.

"I can't!" he shouted back.

"Why not?"

"The information isn't mine to give."

"I don't care; I need to know!" She fought down tears. "Don't you understand? I need to-" Her sentence went unfinished as she started to cry.

It pained Sirius to see her upset. "Let's go talk to Remus." He led her up to the boys' dorm where Remus and Sapphire were laying on their stomachs atop Remus' bed working on their homework.

They looked up when Sirius entered with Jessie and asked, "What is it?"

Jessie demanded, "I want to know what's wrong with Saphy; every time I ask her she says, 'it's nothing to get stressed about."

Remus sighed and decided it was time that she knew the truth. "She has a werewolf baby inside of her. Our baby."

"How-" Jessie paused and gasped, "of course! That's where you lot go every month." She glared at Remus. "This is all YOUR FAULT!"

Sapphire stated, "It isn't his fault he's a werewolf."

"No, it isn't, but it is his fault that he didn't learn enough about his own condition to realise what it could do to you," said Jessie angrily.

"You're right. I am to blame," Remus guiltily responded.

"No!" Sapphire hugged him. "I don't blame you."

Jessie spat, "That's because you're too blinded by love to see that even if you both wanted kids it was his responsibility for knowing about his own illness." She turned to Remus. Her face was cold. "You don't deserve my sister."

Sirius and Sapphire gasped, "Jessie!"

She ignored them all and left.

"Don't mind her. She's just scared for Saphy," Sirius told Remus.

Remus answered, "She wouldn't have to be scared if it wasn't for me."

"Remmy, I won't have you being upset for the next month or two I have to live," Sapphire said.

"You are not going to die," Remus stated quickly to assure himself as much as her.

"You'll live to be one of those nice, old grannies that read to their grandkids," Sirius agreed, hoping it was true.

Their confidence was comforting. "Maybe," smiled Sapphire and returned to her homework.

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Lily spoke to James several weeks later about something that had been bothering her. "What's going on? Jessie ignores almost everybody except me and Sirius, Remus and Sapphire are obviously depressed even though they try to act happy, and Peter keeps disappearing."

"Don't worry."

"Too late. Please, tell me, James."

Unable to refuse her, he said, "Jessie is avoiding Remus because she thinks the reason he and Sapphire are unhappy is his fault. Peter is probably with Olivia a lot to get away from those bad feelings. I don't blame him."

"Are you worried?"

"I like to seem like a strong, unshakeable bloke, so can I lie?"

"No."

"Then, yes, I am. Very worried."


	28. A Name

chapter twenty-eight **A Name**

"I think it's a girl."

"Really? Why?" Remus asked Sapphire as the two of them sat under the Marauders' tree studying for the N.E.W.T.s, which was a week away. He would prefer a sweet daughter instead of a rambunctious son, but since he knew the child would be a miscarriage he tried not to think about it.

"I just know somehow, and I think we should name her." She patted her five-month pregnant stomach fondly. It still looked flat unless she wore tight clothing.

"Gemmy, I don't think that's a good idea. If you get too attached then you'll be more upset when the baby dies and you live." _Sapphire_ will _live_, Remus told himself. He could not bear to think otherwise.

"She's a living individual made of a part of you and a part of me, and I love her whether she has a name or not. Because I love her she deserves a name, doesn't she?"

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would still smell as sweet," Remus quoted Shakespeare.

Sapphire smiled at the poetic reference. "True, but can't we choose a name anyway?" She would not pick unless Remus helped her.

He never wanted to disappoint her, so he nodded.

Beaming, she took a book of baby names out of the pocket of her robes and read through it many times before she said, "I like the way _Amara _sounds."

Remus looked at the book. "It means 'lovely forever' in Greek, and I'm sure she's lovely with you for a mother. It's the perfect name."

She blushed. "All right. What about a middle name?"

"I've always liked your Christian and middle names. We could use one of those."

"Amara Sapphire…No. Amara Anastasia. Hmm, what do you think? I like it."

"Me too." Remus and Sapphire smiled at each other before smiling at Sapphire's belly and saying, "Hello, Amara Anastasia Lupin. We love you."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Later in the dorm Sapphire announced, "Our baby's name is Amara, Amara Anastasia."

"Amara?" asked Sirius. "You're sure it's a girl?"

Sapphire nodded.

"What's the nickname for something like Amara? Ama? Amy?" James wondered.

"There is no nickname. It is just Amara," stated Remus.

"Oh, OK." James shrugged.

Everyone slipped into bed and fell asleep, but Remus woke up when he heard Sapphire gasp next to him.

"What is it?" he whispered.

"Remmy, this is wonderful!" Her voice shook with quiet excitement.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes. "I'm sorry, love, but I have no clue what you're on about." Sapphire took his hand and placed it on her stomach. He felt something move beneath his palm. "Amara kicked!"

Sapphire's beautiful eyes shined with happiness. "Didn't I tell you it was wonderful?"

Before Remus could reply the dorm door opened. Someone came over to their bed and pulled back the curtains.

"Jessie?" Sapphire thought she must have been seeing things.

"Hey, Saphy," greeted Jessie in a low voice. Then she looked at her bother-in-law. "Remus, I've been a bitch to you and you didn't deserve it. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

"Of course. I must ask you not to use language like that around Amara, though."

"Who?" Jessie glanced at the hand Remus had on her sister's stomach and understood. "Oh. You named it?"

"We named _her_," corrected Sapphire.

"Uh, right. Listen, Saphy, I don't want you to get hurt, so I don't want you to feel close to the baby," Jessie told her.

"How can I not feel close to someone living inside of me? Someone who depends on each beat of my heart to give them life?"

She didn't know the answer. All she knew was that the thought of somebody needing her that much scared her. She respected Sapphire for being able to deal with it. "Who knows? Well, good night." She left quietly.

"I can get attached to Amara; she'll be born just fine. She has to be," Sapphire whispered.

Remus replied, "I wish she could be, but you know no human has had a werewolf child before."

"With me it might be different. I could be special."

He kissed her forehead. "You are special. Your mind and soul are as sweet as an angel's, but your body, lovely as it is, will always be human."

Sapphire snuggled against him in thanks for his kind words. He hugged her closer and they were silent for so long it seemed like they would fall asleep again until Sapphire said, "If you bit me I wouldn't be human anymore, and I could give birth to Amara. Will you do it?"


	29. Grey Hair

chapter twenty-nine **Grey Hair**

"No," said Remus instantly.

"Why not?"

"You wouldn't be able to cope with being a werewolf."

"You can cope, so I could too," Sapphire protested.

"I was bitten when I was very young. I barely remember what it's like to be human. You would. Being a werewolf is painful enough on your mind and body without knowing what you're missing."

"A life of struggle is better than no life at all. This is the only way to guarantee that Amara and I will both live."

"But you wouldn't be living happily."

"I'd have you, our baby, and most of my family and friends. Why wouldn't I be happy?"

"You would be too tired to do many of the things you love. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, so I certainly wouldn't wish it on the woman I love. Besides, you already have one time of the month that's painful; you don't need another."

"I know you're trying to protect me, but if this is what I want-"

"Gemmy, you don't know what you're asking. Only a werewolf would get it."

"Then make me a werewolf so I'll understand."

"I will spare you that understanding. With this war going on there'll be plenty of other things to spoil you innocence."

"You of all individuals should know that I'm not innocent."

Her suggestive tone made Remus blush. "I didn't mean _that_ way. I meant that you're very book-intelligent, but extremely naive."

"What makes you say that?"

"Do you know anything about the war?"

"Only that Dumbledore is the only one Voldemort and his Death Eater's fear."

"See? That's my point; you don't any of the horrible things the Death eaters do."

"That's not my fault. You and Sirius never let me read the _Prophet_ anymore."

"We're trying to shelter you, I guess, because we know that once we leave Hogwarts there won't be many ways left to preserve your innocence. You'll be able to experience too much pain first-hand. The last thing I'm going to do is add to that pain by making you a werewolf."

"OK, Remmy, I understand and accept you're reasoning, but I don't like it."

"That's all I ask of you."

"All I Ask of You is a song from Phantom of the Opera."

"I know; I've heard it."

"You have? Great! Let's sing it to Amara so she'll learn to recognise our voices."

Remus smiled at Sapphire's enthusiasm. "All right, but let's do it quietly so we don't wake up Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Those N.E.W.T.s were exhausting. You're lucky you don't have to take them," Lily told Jessie the night before graduation.

"I will next year when you all are gone."

"I'm sorry most of your friends are older than you, but you'll still have Blaise."

"I suppose...I'll bet he's made Head Boy."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

The Marauders and Sapphire ran into the common room.

James urged Sapphire, "Hurry up and tell them the good news or I will."

Sapphire said, "I'm valedictorian."

"Brilliant!" congratulated Jessie.

"No, it isn't. I only have one night to write a speech. I'm so stressed my hair shall turn grey like Remmy's."

Lily asked, "You have a grey hair?"

"I _had_ one. Sapphire pulled it out." He winced at the memory.

"I'm going to put it in my diary since it is my love's first grey," announced Sapphire.

Sirius had to ask, "Moony, is she always this weird or is it just her hormones?"

Remus considered the question. "Both."

Everyone laughed except Sapphire, who ran upstairs to write her speech.

**Minerva's Note:** Since I'm English I know that in England's normal schools they don't have a valedictorian, which is a person that graduates with the highest grades out of everyone else in their year, but at an 'abnormal' school, like Hogwarts, there might be. I hope there is because I love the valedictorian concept! We won't know until book seven...


	30. Separate Paths

chapter thirty **Separate Paths**

"Where are you going?" Blaise asked Romulous up in Ravenclaw Tower.

"To see one of my mates."

"You graduate in an hour, so you'd better hurry."

"I will," Romulous replied and left. He went down to the dungeons and found whom he was seeking in an unused classroom. "Hello, Severus."

Severus Snape's black eyes glanced up from his yearbook. "What are you doing here? People will miss you." His voice was cold, but Romulous knew him well enough to realise that he was concerned even if it was only a minimal amount of concern.

"They'll have to get over it then." Romulous pulled up a chair beside Snape. "I need to talk to you."

"Oh?" Severus sounded uninterested, yet by placing his book down on a dusty desk it gave away that he was. The yearbook was unsurprisingly opened to page with Potter's photograph. Snape had never told Romulous why he and James hated one another; he didn't trust anyone enough to tell them, though it was due to Potter that the Slytherin and Romulous were friends. Potter and Black had turned Snape's skin purple with green spots in second year, and when Romulous found Severus in the lavatory he changed his skin back without being asked and never requested anything in return. Even Severus had to admit that had been selfless and considerate.

"Yes." Romulous took a deep breath. "You're joining the Death Eaters when we leave Hogwarts, aren't you?"

His face was blank. "Why would you think that?"

"Severus, don't insult my intelligence by trying to trick by doing something as simple as avoiding the question," stated Romulous as calmly as Lupin would.

Snape smirked; it amused him that Romulous had enough pride buried underneath his pleasantness to rival Lucius' arrogance, yet Romulous was selfless and Lucius never did anything unless there was something in it for him. "Fine, answer my question and I'll answer yours."

"I think you're joining since most Slytherins are, and because almost no one respects you this seems like the easiest way to get the respect you deserve."

"Shrewd," admitted Snape, unimpressed. He neither confirmed nor denied it.

"Please, don't do it, Severus. There are other things you could do to be respected. What's easiest isn't always what's best."

"Don't preach to me."

"I wasn't-"

Snape cut him off, "You were, but I'll forget it since you'll soon be too busy to worry about preaching to me."

"I don't understand."

"You'll find out about Remus Lupin soon enough."

"I already know who he is. He's married to Blaise's sexy cousin."

"Haven't you realised how alike you two look?" asked Snape coolly.

"We do not; his eyes are blue and mine are brown."

"That's a big difference," Snape replied sarcastically.

"I'm a bit more muscular and healthier-looking than he is too," added Romulous with a shrug. He wasn't a vain person.

The reason why that particular aspect of their physical appearance differed was clear to Severus thanks to a prank Black played on him in fourth year, but Dumbledor forced him to promise never to speak of it except to people who already knew, so he couldn't tell Romulous that Remus was a werewolf. Severus liked to make individuals he disliked feel ashamed or inadequate, and he also liked to keep his promises.

"Forget about it," muttered Snape. "Graduation is in a half-an-hour, and you probably have a lot of friends' yearbooks to sign, so go."

"I do," confessed Romulous, "but I want to sign yours first." Wordlessly, Snape handed it to him. After Romulous scrawled something he exited with a final wave.

Full of curiosity despite himself, Snape read Romulous' message.

_Severus,  
I wish you wouldn't go down that path. (You know the one I mean.) I know you never change your mind once you reach a decision, however, so all I can say is that even though we're choosing separate roads you can come to me if you ever need anything.  
Your friend,   
Romulous_

Snape was not a sentimental individual, yet he couldn't stop a faint smile from creeping onto his face before it was hidden behind his monotonous mask.


	31. Think of Me

**Minerva's Note:** I am exceedingly sorry that I have been unable to update any of my fics, but I was very ill. On Monday I began to feel better, so I worked on writing my new chapters to get them to you as soon as possible. Please forgive me for not updating; I promise I would rather have not have been sick! Well, I hope you enjoy the chapter :.)

chapter thirty-one **Think of Me**

All of the students of 1977 at the end of their 7th year stood on the raised dais in the Great Hall, where the wizarding families of the pupils occupied the long benches that the students typically used when sitting at their house tables. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were there to watch both James and Sirius.

"Good afternoon," greeted Dumbledore. "I would like to thank the parents for coming and I would like to thank the students for leaving." His eyes twinkled and everyone laughed except the Slytherins' families. "Before I begin handing out diplomas three remarkable students that always set an example for their classmates will say a few words. First, the Head Girl, Lily Evans."

Lily stepped towards the front of the dais beside Dumbledore. "I'm sure I speak for most of the students when I say that I'm sorry to be leaving, but even though I'm sad I'm _ready_. The wonderful professors taught me so much to prepare me for the world, and I can't find the words to thank them enough for that."

The audience applauded and the applause of the teachers, particularly McGonagall, was very enthusiastic.

Lily smiled. "Perhaps the Head Boy, James Potter, can explain it better." She walked back to stand among the pupils while James strode forward.

"When Dumbledore said that we all set an example I doubt, in my case, that he mean a _good_ example." James smirked as everybody, including the headmaster, chuckled. "I can honestly say that I learned a lot too, but not from the lessons. I've found all sorts of secret passages in the castle, so from the castle and my mates I've learned that there's always more to something than what there seems to be." He turned to Dumbledore. "Thanks for letting me come here and learn that. It's more important to know that than hundreds of spells." When he held out his hand the headmaster shook it warmly.

Dumbledore said, "There's no need to thank me, James. You earned it."

With a grin James bowed dramatically and stood back with the group as people cheered. No one cheered louder than Sirius.

"And finally," announced Dumbledore once the crowd had quieted, "Sapphire Lupin, our valedictorian."

Nervously, Sapphire came forward. "Hello, everyone. Even though we're leaving Hogwarts we won't leave our memories behind."

Remus smiled; remembering when he had said that to her in the beginning of the year and how it had comforted her then. It must have meant a lot to her for her to want to share it with everyone, and that itself meant a lot to Remus.

Sapphire continued, "Nor, do I believe, would Hogwarts want us to forget. This gorgeous castle that was a home for so many of us is magical in many ways. One thing that it can't do is speak, so after all of the great experiences it allowed me to have here I've decided to be its voice and ask you to remember." After taking a deep breath she sang in a clear soprano tone, "Think of me,  
Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye.  
Remember me once in a while; please promise me you'll try.

Think of all the things we've shared and seen,  
Don't think about the way things might have been.

Recall those days, look back on all those times,  
Think of the things we'll never do.  
There will never be a day when I won't think of you!

Flowers fade,  
The fruits of summer fade,  
They have their seasons so do we.  
But please promise me that sometimes  
You will think OF ME!"

The silence that followed was so absolute that the echoes of Sapphire's voice could be heard throughout the Great Hall.

Not knowing what else to do, Sapphire gave an embarrassed curtsey and returned to her place beside Remus.

"Praise Merlin, my love, that was magnificent!" he whispered in her ear.

She shook her head and sadly whispered back, "No, I was awful; nobody clapped."

"Of course no one clapped! They were in awe. I was in shock too, and I'm the only one whose had the pleasure of hearing your beautiful voice before."

Sapphire kissed him on the cheek. Even if he was wrong and everyone else hated her singing it was enough that Remus thought her voice was beautiful. When she looked out at the crowd, however, she saw that he'd been correct.

Dumbledore had to wipe a tear from behind his half-moon spectacles before he began calling forth the students for their diplomas.

**Minerva's Note:** Think of Me is a song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart, and Richard Stilgoe.


	32. Redheads

**_Minerva's Note_**: I considered ending this fic because of...Well, personal reasons that I might eventually tell you lot, but I'd rather not get into it right now. Anyway, I decided not to since it would leave too many unanswered questions, which would be unfair to my readers, so even though I didn't update last week all of you should be very happy I'm keeping the fic going. :hugs reviewers: Enjoy the chappie!

chapter thirty-two **Redheads**

"What are you going to do now that you've graduated and inherited all of your uncle Albert's money?" Jessie asked Sirius a week before she entered her final year of school as she watched him throw his things from the Potter's manour into a suitcase.

"I'm buying a flat with James so we can get out of Mum and Dad's hair. Then, we're joining the Order of the Phoenix." Sirius winced. "I shouldn't have said that."

Jessie shrugged. "I already know a little about Dumbledore's secret organisation against the Death Eaters; I've heard him and Auntie Minerva talk about it. What I don't know is why you're joining. You hate rules, and people in the Order have to follow them."

Sirius hesitated and told her, "A few Death Eaters attacked a Muggle neighbourhood on Voldemort's orders yesterday. It was Lily's hometown and Lily is still living with her parents, so James was there visiting her. Hearing some noise in the street, they went out and drove the three masked dark wizards they saw away, but not before gits had done some damage. Also, there was a hidden fourth Death Eater that did something awful before the coward disapparated."

"How many total people did they kill?" asked Jessie quietly.

"Ten."

"Since it was Lily's hometown did she know any of them?"

"Her sister, Petunia, married a walrus and moved away last year, but her parents..."

"Oh, Merlin, were her parents murdered?" She knew the answer to her question before Sirius said it.

"Yes. That was the fourth Death Eater's doing."

Jessie hugged Sirius tightly. "That's horrible!"

Sirius could only nod because Jessie had not left any air in his lungs for him to speak with.

"Why didn't she talk to me about it?"

He had to push her away and take a great gulp of oxygen before replying; "She isn't talking to anyone about anything because after she mailed Petunia a letter with the news of their parents' deaths she disappeared. James is going to find her and make sure she doesn't do something stupid."

"I hope he can do it."

Sirius grinned. "My best mate can do anything."

"Sirius, come along!" Mrs. Potter called from downstairs.

He looked at Jessie. "They're taking me to Order Headquarters."

"Where's that?"

"Dunno." He kissed her cheek. "See you." Sirius bounded down the steps loudly.

Mr. Potter slipped on his velvet jacket. It had fit him properly once, but now it was a wee bit large, which was unsurprising since old people shrink from bone loss, and he and his wife were definitely getting old. They had been old when they had first birthed James and believed that it had been a miracle they'd finally had a child, so they spoiled him, which made James conceited.

"Does Jessie need floo powder to get home?" asked Mr. Potter.

"No," Sirius answered. "She was so happy when we won the Quidditch Cup that she's on her broom every chance she gets."

"All right. Let's go." Mrs. Potter pushed her white hair that had been a light auburn colour in her youth away from her face.

As they walked Sirius glanced at Mr. Potter. If his hair were still black instead of grey he would look exactly like James. "Dad, did your father look like you?"

He raised an eyebrow at the randomness of the question. "Yes."

"Was your mother's hair red?"

"Indeed." Both eyebrows were raised now.

"So, all Potter men look the same and marry redheads!" declared Sirius.

Mrs. Potter thought of her son and Lily, who had visited them twice over the summer, with a smile. "It would seem so."

"How is that delightful lass?" Mr. Potter asked.

"She's been better," replied Sirius darkly.

He was saved the effort of elabourating since Mrs. Potter stepped in front of a small house and announced, "Here we are!" She walked up to the door and knocked with her husband and foster son behind her.

An attactive young boy opened the door and when his eyes met Sirius' they both gasped, "_You_!"

**_Minerva's Note_**: Ooh, who is it? You shall find out next week!


	33. Order of the Phoenix

chapter thirty-three **Order of the Phoenix**

Blaise McGonagall half-turned and shouted into the bowels of the house, "Mum, why didn't you tell me Sirius was coming?" He said Sirius' name with disgust.

The transfiguration professor appeared beside Blaise. "I didn't know he'd be here." She ushered the Potters and Sirius inside.

Sirius followed the three adults and Blaise down a staircase, glaring at the latter's back. When they reached the dim basement Sirius saw moving pictures on the walls. One had a much younger and, he hated to admit it, good-looking Minerva McGonagall standing beside a handsome man. They were smiling at a boy with the man's golden brown hair and Minetrva's dark green eyes. Jessie's eyes. The boy must be Blaise, and Blaise was very young in all of the photographs, so his father, Minerva's husband, had died over a decade ago.

When Sirius turned away from the wall he saw Dumbledore kiss Minerva's hand. _Her husband's long dead; it's good she moved on._

_What if you died? Would you want Jessie to move on?_ asked a voice in Sirius' head.

_Jessie deserves love, but could I stand the idea of her in someone else's arms...I guess I could depending on who it was._

"Doesn't Blaise need to leave?" asked a gentle voice Sirius recognised.

He glanced around and saw all of the Lupins.

Dumbledore agreed, "Yes, John, he does."

There were footsteps on the stairs and Romulous arrived. "Why?"

"He's not of age," Minerva said.

Blaise pointed at Sapphire, "She gets to stay, and even though she's of age she's not ready for this."

Minerva whispered so only Blise could hear, "Don't you think I'm worried about her too? But Albus decides how involved she, and the rest of us, will be. Now, go upstairs; Stella is due to visit you soon. I'm sure Romulous will tell you everything that happens anyway." The last sentence was said with disapproval.

Not bothering to deny it, Blaise went out of the basement without another word.

Dumbledore sat at the head of a rectangular table. "Fondest greetings to you all; now, let's get right to work. The Death Eaters are planning a raid in four days in Talbot. Six other Order members are going with the Longbottoms to prevent from causing chaos and death."

"James and Lily will want to go," said Sirius loudly before anyone else could speak.

"They've decided to join too? I'm not surprised, but why aren't they here?" Sapphire questioned.

Sirius explained, "Next meeting they'll be here; James is comforting her at the moment." _At least he is if he found her and if she's letting him._

When Sapphire still looked confused Remus whispered something to her that made her say "Oh" rather sadly.

"James, Lily, and who else?" continued Dumbledore.

"Me," said Remus and Sirius together.

"If Remmy goes I go too," declared Sapphire.

Dumbledore smiled gently. "Sapphire, you're eight months pregnant. Logically, the baby-"

"Amara," Sapphire supplied.

"Logically, Amara should have died already, and because she hasn't you're both definitely going to unless something is done. Do you want to risk your life and Amara's by putting unnecessary physical strain on yourself?"

Sapphire bowed her head. "Of course not," she murmured softly. "Sir?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not complaining, but why aren't we already dead?"

"Because your hips, like the rest of you, have such large curves your body probably has a greater-sized womb inside of it than most women, or at least more room for the womb to expand, so Amara never had to break out of the womb when she had her...episodes." Dumbledore did not say 'transformations' since Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Romulous did not know of Remus' condition. They had understood almost none of the conversation, yet politely did not ask for an explanation. Getting back to business, he added, "We need someone to crack the code the Death Eaters use when writing each other messages. I found out about the raid from a letter not written in code, but they're rare. Would you like to figure out the code?"

Sapphire nodded, so Dumbledore handed her a stack of parchment and letters.

Minerva chimed in, "I'll go to the raid as well."

"James, Lily, Remus, Sirius, and Alastor will go. That's six," concluded Dumbledore.

"Where is Alastor?" wondered Mr. Potter.

"On another assignment. At Sirius' suggestion, I had him bring Peter to give him some field experience." Dumbledore rose, showing that the meeting was over. The Potters then thanked Minerva and left with Sirius.

"Are they all right?" Romulous whispered to Remus, indicating the werewolf's parents. They'd had shocked looks on their faces ever since Romulous had entered the basement and not made a sound throughout the meeting.

Remus looked at them, puzzled. "I don't know..."

"It's cold down here. Maybe they need a blanket." Romulous turned to go up the stairs when Anne Lupin gasped, "Wait!" Once he turned around she asked, "Your name's Romulous, isn't it?"

_How does she know that when no one said it?_ "Indeed."

"Oh, Merlin!" Anne fell to the floor in a faint.

"Mum!" Remus waved his wand and revived her. "What is it?"

John helped Anne to her feet. They looked at Remus and Romulous. "There's something we need to tell you."


	34. A Marauder

chapter thirty-four **A Marauder**

As Sirius Black was heading towards the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters with Mr. and Mrs. Potter his best mate, James, was searching relentlessly for Lily. He found his lovely girlfriend in the one place where she felt security in familiarity after all of the terrors that had happened: Hogwarts.

It was locked over the summer, of course, so she was sitting on the front steps.

James sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey."

"Please, leave me alone, James. Please, just go," she begged quietly. Her voice was so different from its usual energetic manner that it pained James' heart.

"No. You shouldn't be alone right now."

She shrugged off his arm. "Isn't it my choice if I should be alone or not?"

"No," he repeated more firmly, putting his arm back around her. "You're too grief-stricken to know what's best for yourself at the moment."

Lily leaned against James. "I'm too tired to be angry for the time being, but I'll yell at you for this later."

He stroked her hair. "I look forward to it."

She turned and looked into his eyes. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Course I do. Every second with you is precious, even if you're mad." It was obvious that he meant it.

The words had a powerful impact on her; they made her realise something. "Um, James, I love you. Is-is that OK?" Lily hated how nervous her voice sounded.

James looked pleased, yet not surprised. "I always loved you. I kept telling you when we were younger that you loved me, but you denied it. I knew you loved me too; it just took you a bit longer to figure it out."

"You even knew when I treated you badly?"

"Even then."

She hugged and kissed him hard.

"What was that for, Lils?"

"If you hadn't stubbornly believed in our love for so long we never would've gotten this far."

"Yep. I'm awesome."

Lily hit his arm lightly before asking, "How did you know we were meant to be?"

"I have my ways."

Rolling her eyes, she muttered, "You're such a..."

"Marauder?"

"That's exactly the word I was looking for!" laughed Lily.

James smiled. "Lily-flower?"

"Mmm?"

"Will you marry me?" James gracefully got down on one knee on the steps and held out a ring.

Lily blinked. "You're asking me to marry you _now_ when I'm so upset and vulnerable?"

"Yes, and if you say 'no' I will just keep asking till you accept. It worked on getting you to go out with me. Besides, this is where we first met, so it seemed like the proper place to ask you."

"Well, unlike dating you, I'll say 'yes' the first time." James was a good man and he made her happy in a way no one else could; she knew she was making the right decision.

James slipped the ring on Lily's finger and pulled her onto to his lap to kiss her deeply in one smooth motion.

**Minerva's Note:** I am aware that some of you may want to kill me for not telling you what happened at OotP HQ, but you shall find out on Tuesday, the 25th of this month, when I return from the holiday I am taking. I think you all know what it is anyway; what you do not know is why tis so important. Love ya lots! Please review!


	35. Fraternity

chapter thirty-five **Fraternity**

"What is it?" asked Romulous, confused. He had never met these people until today; what could they possibly have to say to him?

Anne Lupin stated quietly, "You're our son. You and Remus are twins."

"What!" gasped Remus and Romulous in unison.

"I'm surprised you two never siriusly noticed each other in school before. You were so close when you were young, but when Remus became a werewolf-" John paused and said to Romulous, "Remus doesn't remember that. Do you?"

"I have a few blurry memories I always thought were dreams. I guess they're true..." He trailed off, recalling something.

- Flashback -

"Rem, I'm bored. Let's play outside." Romulous walked towards the back door that looked large and fascinating to his childhood eyes.

Remus dropped his book and went to his brother, disagreeing with his young quiet voice, "No. Mummy and Daddy said not to go out without 'em, and they're sleeping now. Let's wait till they wake up."

"You can wait, but I don't wanna." He opened the door and walked outside. Glancing at the backyard play-set, he decided to look for something more fun to do. He pushed aside the loose board in the wooden fence surrounding their yard that he and Remus had found and climbed out.

The full moon provided a nice light on the sidewalk, and Romulous began to skip along it to the forest.

"Rom! Rom!" He heard Remus calling after him. Why was he afraid? Remus was just a strange kid. Sure, Remus always shared his toys, though he'd rather read a book than climb a tree like all of the other boys that Romulous knew. That didn't bother Romulous; he would love his brother no matter how odd he was.

These thoughts were interrupted by a loud growl that caused Romulous to jump. He looked around and saw a huge grey _thing_ coming out from in between the dark trees. He tried to dash away, yet his legs would not move. Then, the thing came closer, licking its large yellow teeth, and Romulous could no longer even think of rushing off. He couldn't think of anything besides his fear.

"Run, Rom, run!" Romulous heard Remus say as if from far away. Suddenly, something smashed into him. Remus had shoved him out of the way. "Run."

Romulous obeyed. When he reached their flat he shouted, "Mummy, Daddy, come quick! There's a big, scary thing!" The second he saw his parents he said, "Follow me." He went back outdoors, not bothering to check if they were coming after him or not.

"Where's your brother?" his father asked.

"He saved me from the thing 'cause I wasn't moving. He told me to run, so I did, and I thought he was with me-" Romulous' truthful tale was cut off as his father covered his eyes and mouth.

He heard his mother scream, "Remus, my baby!" and then she said a spell Romulous had never heard her use before. The thing made a pained sound followed by its fading footsteps.

"Romulous," his father's voice was a shocked whisper, "I want you to go home. Go home and don't look back; you shouldn't see this. We'll be with you soon." When he was released Romulous saw empty sidewalk in front of him. Even though Remus loved to read Romulous had always been the curious, witty twin, so of course he turned around to stare. His mother was sobbing as his father held her and a bloody mass of fur.

"Remus," said Romulous sadly to himself. "I should've listened to you. I'm sorry. What is it that the kids in the park say? Oh yeah: 'I owe you one.'"

- End of Flashback -

"I remember," stated Romulous at last.

"Well," John continued, "after Greyback turned Remus into a werewolf we had to move to the forest. You missed the noises of the city and when we told you to leave Remus alone on full moons you tried to take care of him anyway because you loved him so much and it was also as if you thought that you had to 'cause you felt guilty or something, though exactly WHY Anne and I couldn't tell. For your own happiness and safety we put you up for adoption and had your surname changed to something common. It was the hardest decision in the world for us to make, and Remus cried for months, but he eventually forgot since he was only four years-old, and we figured that you would to."

"I did for the most part. I wish I didn't, though, because nobody ever adopted me, so I wondered what it would've been like to have a family."

"I'm sorry, Romulous, my dear," said Anne softly.

Romulous shrugged. "Don't be. It's not like you could've put Remus in my place. He's different; there's no chance he would have been adopted, and there was a chance with me. Besides, I turned out okay."

"You turned out better than 'okay," assured Dumbledore kindly. "And this is all wonderful."

"Meeting my family? They seem nice, but I'm too surprised to consider it wonderful-"

Dumbledore interjected, "No, it's wonderful that Remus has a twin because there's a potion that a human can take with the blood of her sibling and the blood of her lover's sibling to allow her to have a werewolf baby. I never mentioned this before, as it was irrelevant since Remus was an only child, but now..."

McGonagall asked, "Are you saying that Sapphire can have Amara and they will both be all right?"

"Amara will be fine. Sapphire will only be okay if her body can cope with the results of her unusual pregnancy. She's coped well so far. Of course, none of this matters unless Romulous agrees to do it. We all know Jessie shall."

Everyone looked expectantly at Romulous. He said, "I'd be happy to help." _After I ruined Remus' life I owe him that much, though I'd probably agree to do it anyway._

Remus did not remember Romulous from when he was a child, yet as he hugged Sapphire joyfully he loved him as much as he had as a youngster.

**Minerva's Note:** I updated a day early, aren't you happy? I had a 104 degree fever on my holiday, so you'd better be! I won't update early next week, though. I liked writing this chappie, for I invariably wished to write about the night Remus became a lycanthrope. I hope you liked it too. If you did, or if not, tell me in a review!


	36. Engagement

chapter thirty-six **Engagement**

"Everybody," said James, addressing his parents, Sirius, Peter, Remus, Sapphire, and Jessie, "Lily and I are-" He paused dramatically.

"Insane," grinned Sirius.

"No." Lily finished, "Engaged."

There was an uproar of congratulations and hugs.

Once everyone had quieted Remus announced, "Last night Dumbledore gave Sapphire a potion that is going to make her be able to have Amara."

Jessie had been there to help create the potion, of course, but hadn't mentioned it to Sirius, so her boyfriend had picked up her sister and was spinning her around in happy surprise. It made Jessie smile.

"All of this great news calls for a celebration!" declared Sirius.

Mr. Potter stated, "James, your mother and I have to go shopping, but you and your friends have fun. You've earned it."

"Okay. Thanks, Dad."

After they left Sirius got out the champagne and poured everyone a glass of it.

Sapphire stared at him. "Sirius, are you crazy? Pregnant women can't have alcohol."

"Sorry, I forgot. I'll drink it then." He swallowed her beverage in one long gulp.

"Take it easy, Padfoot, or you'll be drunk really soon," warned James, taking a small sip from his own glass.

"You know he won't listen," sighed Jessie.

_Listen? I should've listened when James and Sirius said all Slytherins were bad, even though Moony disagreed with them,_ thought Peter. _If I hadn't spent time with them maybe what happened a few days ago wouldn't have happened at all._

- Flashback -

Peter was walking home from the cinema when someone grabbed him and apparated away with him. Fighting the feeling of nausea in his stomach that came from side-along apparation, he looked around. It was completely dark, so he could see nothing, but he could feel a malovent presence that radiated with power.

"Peter Pettigrew also known as Wormtail," said a voice so cold it caused Peter to shiver.

"Y-yes?"

"Some of the friends you made towards the end of your time at Hogwarts told me that you're tired of your fellow _Marauders_ getting all of the glory. I can give you some of your own if you'll do something for me."

"Um, w-what would I have to d-do?" Peter wished he would stop stammering, though he couldn't; he was too afraid.

"You're in the Order of Phoenix. Tell me what goes on there, and with your friends, whom I know are important members of the Order."

_Who the bloody hell is this man that knows so much? Never mind. I can't tell him those things because it might hurt my mates. Sure, they're glory hounds, but they're good people that always protected me._ "What if I-I refuse?"

The mysterious speaker ignited a lantern, illuminating the bare walls of the room and the dead bodies around them. "You die." Instead of a face he had what looked like a skull with red eyes. Peter had no doubt that he was Voldemort and the realisation almost made him pee in his pants. "You die or receive power and respect that you've never had before. Isn't it an easy choice?"

_That isn't a choice at all! Oh, Merlin, why did this have to happen to ME? I know what the other Marauders would do, but I don't want to be murdered. Is that so wrong?_ "I'll do it, er, Sir."

"After your ceremony you'll call me 'My Lord.' Well, you made the wiser decision. It's too bad your girlfriend wasn't as wise." The light fell on one of the corpses. She had a pretty face, clumsy fingers, and dyed rainbow hair.

Peter whispered, upset, "Olivia."

"Yes. She was a fool."

_Maybe she wasn't smart, yet she wasn't a fool. She was brave, like how a Gryffindor should be. Like how I was not..._

- End of Flashback -

As Peter remembered this Sirius had consumed four more glasses. Now, he was outside where no one could see him in the form of a shaggy black dog chasing birds.

James went outdoors and found him. "Padfoot, stop this! What if Jessie or Lily come out and see you?"

A bark was his only reply.

"You are totally wasted. I'll go fetch the Sobering Draught." When James returned he saw Sirius in human form sitting in a meditative position.

"I see a lot of shock in the near future," Sirius mock predicted, not knowing it was true, and added with a lop-sided smile, "I'm the one who is supposed to 'fetch' things."

"Whatever." James shoved a goblet at his best friend. "Just drink this 'cause you're drunk."

"I may be drunk, but soon I'll be sober, and you'll still be ugly." Sirius hiccupped. James pointed his wand at him threatening, thus Sirius gave in and drank the potion. Seconds later his head was clear.

This was a good development since a minute after that Remus poked his head outside. "We must go to International Wizard Birthing Hospital; Saphy is in labour. Please, tell my family and then get over there. Thank Merlin she drank that remedy last night!"

With a mixture of enthusiasm and anxiety they headed towards the hospital.

_Nobody would be this excited if they knew what I'd done,_ Peter thought.


	37. Life and Death

chapter thirty-seven **Life and Death**

Remus held Sapphire's hand tightly throughout her entire labour. Amara came out silent, and since most infants cry as pure oxygen fills their lungs for the first time it gave the healers concern. They ran several tests on Amara and Sapphire before one of them would talk to Remus alone.

"Well, I have good news and bad news."

"What is it?" asked Remus nervously.

"The good news is that the baby is perfectly healthy. She's unusually quiet, but we've found no trace of any physical or mental disability. The bad news is..." The healer cleared her throat to keep it from cracking with dismay. "Your wife is dying as we speak. We can't figure out why, but her insides took a lot of damage during her pregnancy, so the actual birth ripped apart her fragile organs and caused internal bleeding that's too fast for us to stop with a surgery or potion. I'm sorry. Women dying in childbirth is common and-"

Remus stopped listening and went back to Sapphire's spotlessly white delivery room. Sapphire lay on a bed, her back propped up with pillows, holding their daughter in her arms. She was clearly unwell; her skin was as pale as milk. He gently lay down beside Sapphire and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You must be okay. Gemmy, I can't live without you."

"You have to," she said simply. Sapphire looked at Remus with all of the innocence finally drained from her breath-taking eyes. "Amara needs you, Remmy. Please, make sure to instill out love of music and poetry in her while she's young, so she'll like it all of her life. When she gets older and falls in love support her, unlike my father did. Most importantly, my love, I want you to be happy. It's okay to be upset for a little while, though don't stay upset forever. Perhaps you'll even remarry someday."

"What? Don't talk nonsense. I could never love another woman after one as perfect as you."

Sapphire smiled a bit sadly. "You could never worship the ground another woman walks on, like you do with me, yet in time I think you could love again. If you passed on I eventually could love another man, yet I'd never be wrapped around his finger, like I'm wrapped around yours. I just have one request about that. Supposing you do remarry, don't let Amara call her 'mum.' Make sure she knows who her mother is, though she won't remember me." A single tear rolled down Sapphire's deathly white cheek. "My biggest regret besides leaving you is that our child won't remember me."

Remus' arms around her body tightened slightly. "I'll tell her so much about you and give her everything that you own, so she'll feel as if she knows you." He kissed the tear off of her beautiful, but now growing cold with death, face. "Should I send everyone else in to say good-bye?"

She thought of Peter, James, Lily, Sirius, Jessie, and everyone who must have been notified, such as Romulous, Anne and John Lupin, Auntie Minerva, Blaise, Dumbledore, and perhaps her own parents. _All the people I love are in the waiting room..._ "I don't have the energy to give them all the good-byes that they deserve, but send them all, especially Jessie, my best wishes. There is one thing I have enough energy for." Sapphire sang to Amara with her lovely voice. "Down every road you roam  
May sunshine surround you when you're far from home.  
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,   
Never settle for the path of least resistance;  
Be courageous and be brave,  
And in my heart you'll always stay.

May you never take one single breath for granted;  
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed.  
May you never love in vain,  
And in my heart you will remain.  
Don't let some Hell bent heart leave you bitter;   
If you come close to sellin' out reconsider.

May your guiding light be strong when you finally fly away.  
I will think of you each day,  
And be hoping that I served you well,  
For all the wisdom of a lifetime no one can ever tell,  
But whatever road you choose,  
I'm right behind you, win or lose.

May you grow to be proud, dignified and true,  
And do unto others as you'd have done to you.  
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,  
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,  
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance  
I hope you dance." Once she was finished her body shook from lack of strength. "I think you should take Amara before I drop her."

As Sapphire was passing Amara to Remus' arms she kissed him full on the lips. Remus would always recall that his final kiss with Sapphire tasted of her familiar delicious lips and his own salty tears, and the soft, warm child that was the symbol of their passionate love was held between both of their beating hearts.

"Remmy, I love you and Amara more than anything, but you must go," she whispered, her voice fading, her eyelids closing.

Remus understood that Sapphire didn't want their baby to watch her die. "I love you too, and I always will," Remus answered honestly, and saw an exhausted, but content smile turn up Sapphire's mouth before he wiped away his tears and carried Amara out of the room.

"Look at her!" gasped Lily with Remus' and Sapphire's parents peering over her shoulder.

"She's gorgeous," agreed Sirius and James.

"Well, of course she is. After all, Sapphire is her mother," McGonagall stated proudly.

Dumbledore and Blaise nodded, noting that she had Remus' light brown hair and Sapphire's deep blue eyes.

Jessie asked, "Speaking of Saphy, where is she?"

"She's gone," replied Remus softly.

**Minerva's Note:** I took the most spectacular lines from the songs _Forever Young_ and _I Hope you Dance_ and combined them with some of my own to create Sapphire's song. I cried when I wrote this chapter. :.(


	38. A Child's Laughter

chapter thirty-eight **A Child's Laughter**

"How's Remus doing?" Jessie asked her new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher when she returned for her final year at Hogwarts, who happened to be a clever man that never failed to capture his female students' attention because he was young and attractive. His name was Romulous Lupin.

"It's been five months, so I think he finally is a bit happy once in a while instead of always _pretending_ to be happy for his friends' and daughter's sakes," Romulous answered. "How are _you_ doing?"

"It was hard coming back to school just a week after Saphy's death, but I concentrated on my work as best as I could 'cause I know she would've wanted me to. You being here made it a little easier." She had been friendly with Romulous ever since they had come together to create the potion to enable her sister to give birth. "Our niece is okay too, right?" It felt strange to say 'our niece,' but since she was Sapphire's sister and he was Remus' brother it made it true.

"Physically? Yes. Mentally? Despite what the healers say, I'm not sure. She's still silent all of the time."

"I bet somewhere deep down she knows her mother died." Her eyes blurred with tears, as they had an irritating habit of doing the past several months, however, she was too proud to shed them in front of someone. "She missed out on the greatest mother in the world, for no one loved children as much as Saphy. It isn't fair."

Romulous noticed Jessie's dark green eyes, similar to his best friend's, were shining with tears. Because he hadn't known Sapphire well he couldn't think of the proper thing to say to Blaise either. With the small amount of information he knew of his twin's late wife, he tried his best to cheer her up. "Sapphire was a beautiful person, inside and out, and now she's in a place as beautiful as she is where you'll see her again someday. It isn't so bad."

Jessie smiled. "Thanks, Romulous."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Amara was not exactly silent. She simply never cried or made gurgling noises as most babies did. She would laugh, and that sound brightened Remus' grief-stricken days.

She was laughing at that moment, while she played with Lupine. The psychic Persian cat, whom Remus could tell recognised Amara as her dead mistress' offspring, was hiding in the Marauders' big pink picnic basket and would poke her head out to make Amara giggle.

Remus finished decoding a few sentences in a Death Eater message, the work Sapphire would have been doing if she had been there, and set the notes aside. He crouched down beside his daughter.

"Having fun, Amara?"

She looked at him with a smile, but of course did not answer.

Keeping his promise to Sapphire, he spoke to Amara about her. "Your mum and I went a picnic with this basket when we were fifteen, and we had fun. Maybe I'll take you on a picnic sometime." Fifteen? That was three years ago, but it seemed like another lifetime. When Sapphire passed away a part of Remus died too, making it feel as if his body had lived two separate lives: one with Sapphire and one without her.

Amara reached out and held his hand, jerking him out of his depressing thoughts, for which he was grateful. It was a natural impulse for infants to grasp fingers, thought the way Amara did it seemed to show that she knew exactly what she was doing.

_No, that's just what I want to believe,_ Remus told himself. Despite this, when he gazed into Amara's eyes that were the same colour as her mother's, yet held a calm calculating look that Sapphire never had, he couldn't help but wonder if Amara was more than she appeared.

"Ouch!" Remus jumped back. He glanced at his pained hand and saw blood; Amara had unsheathed her claws again. As the books said, she had a tendency to do that when her passions were aroused. He turned to her and saw her staring at him with concern.

Sighing, he picked up her human hand and gently pushed her wolf claws. Instinctively, they changed back into fingernails. "Control yourself, love. You can hurt people when you transform, even just a little piece of yourself, so when you change be careful."

Amara cocked her head sideways, like a pup trying to understand.

_Why do I bother? When she's older she'll be able to transform her entire body at will, but she's too young to learn control yet._ He kissed her forehead. "Never mind right now."

She crawled onto his lap. Then, turned her attention expectantly towards the basket.

Taking her cue, Lupine began popping out to amuse the baby girl again.

Remus smiled at his child's laughter and stroked the hair on her head that was so much like his own. He hoped that wherever Sapphire was she could hear Amara too.


	39. Happiness Returns

chapter thirty-nine **Happiness Returns**

During winter break Blaise went to St. Mungo's, though not because he was ill.

"Good day, Healer Lation," he said leaning casually against the doorframe to a storage room for healing herbs, looking quite attractive.

"Sir, I'm busy looking for something for a patient, but if you go to the front desk someone will help-" Stella Lation had said this distractedly, however, she broke off abruptly when she realised to whom she was speaking. Her face lit up and she rushed over to hug him.

Blaise returned her embrace and kissed her cheek. "How are you, my star?"

"Bored until you arrived. What about you?"

"Stressed. I keep worrying that Jessie is gonna break her neck now that she's Quidditch captain, calling my best friend 'Professor Lupin' is annoying, the Head Girl Gina, Merlin only knows how she got the job, never helps me so as Head Boy I have to do everything, and worst of all Christmas is coming. Last Christmas was Saphy's wedding and I don't know how to stop thinking about her so I can enjoy myself, though it must be worse for Remus." A moment later he was aware of what a mistake it had been to mention Sapphire.

Stella put her hands over her face and sank to her knees sobbing. Blaise knelt down beside her and pulled her onto his lap. He rocked her back and forth. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought her up." They both knew the 'her' that he meant. "Hush. It's OK."

She looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. "It's far from OK, Blaise. I wasn't near her when she died. A patient needed me, so I was here."

"You couldn't have healed her if you'd been there and Saphy, wherever she is, knows that. If she could she'd tell you that she's happy you stayed here to help someone who could be healed."

"Maybe she'd accept it, but would she accept my feelings if she knew what they were? I loved her like a sister, but I was very jealous of her. I always wished that she wasn't prettier, smarter, and more talented than me."

"You never wished for her death."

"Of course I didn't, but I didn't think the way a best mate should either, and now I'll never get the chance to be the friend that she deserved."

"Who cares what you occasionally thought? You can only ever blame yourself for your actions, not your thoughts. Your actual treatment of her was wonderful; she loved you for that and that's what counts." He paused. "Unless you think about being unfaithful. Then, go ahead and feel guilty."

She blinked surprised. "I could never think of infidelity when dating someone as perfect as you."

"I know."

She smiled. Blaise was confident, handsome, clever, protective, and brave. Yes, he was bull-headed and manipulative too, but that didn't change the fact that he was still everything she'd ever wanted. Sapphire had been the one that had convinced her to go out with him years ago. Sapphire was always right. "I love you."

"I know."

She waited to hear more.

Blaise smiled back at her. "I love you too."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Sirius walked into the flat that he and James shared. "I'm here! What were your other two wishes?"

James stopped his conversation with Lily, who now lived with them since she couldn't bear to live in her parents' old house. "I'd like to say, 'nice to see you, Padfoot,' but I can't see you. Something is wrong with my eyes; I can't take them off of Lily."

Lily reached over to stroke James' cheek. "If I got a knut for every time I met someone as debonair as you I'd have one knut."

"I think I like it better when you two argue," said Sirius in mock disgust. "So, are we going to plan this wedding or not?"

James answered, "Only if you admit that Lily is beautiful."

"And have you kick my great arse? No, thanks."

"Then, admit I'm attractive."

"My sexual preference," Sirius grasped James' shoulders, forcing James to finally look at him, "is not you."

Lily, James, and Sirius burst into hysterical laughter for the first time in months.


	40. Time Stands Still

chapter forty **Time Stands Still**

The Great Hall was filled almost to bursting that year during graduation. Despite the number of people there was no applause when the Head Girl, Jessie's ex-best friend Gina, announced, "We're graduating so it's a happy and sad time, but, um, we'll get over it."

Blaise, who was both Head Boy and valedictorian, did not receive applause for his speech either, though that was because it was so solemnly true, not because it was pointless like Gina's. "For most of us this is the last time we'll be at Hogwarts and there's so much we all want to say, but there's only one thing that truly needs to be said: I hope we learned enough. We're going into a world full of turmoil, so I hope that we paid attention in our classes so that we're prepared and that we were taught proper values. If not, everything will get worse. I hope we learned enough."

Privately, he also hoped that Sapphire would be proud that his speech was even half as creative as hers had been. As this wish drifted through his mind he felt as if warm arms momentarily hugged him. Had he imagined it? Blaise was a logical person, thus he rarely believed in things there was no evidence for, yet he doubted that had been his imagination.

He didn't have time to ponder since minutes later he and Jessie were being congratulated by Stella, Romulous, his mother, and Remus.

"You were my best student," Romulous stated to Blaise. His tone was joking, but he meant what he said.

Blaise replied, smiling, "Don't compliment me too much in front of Mum or she'll accuse you giving me a big head. You need to work with her; you don't want her to be annoyed."

Minerva, who had been holding her great-niece Amara, handed the baby back to Remus and looked at Blaise. "No, you certainly don't."

Romulous assured, "Don't worry, I do not work with her anymore. I quit."

"Why?" Stella asked.

"There's a scandal that I snogged a student."

Jessie gasped, "Did you?" The thought of Romulous kissing someone made her stomach boil with an emotion that she did not recognise.

"Of course not. I think a boy was jealous of my popularity with the female students and started a rumour that would escalate to get me sacked. Dumbledore knows I didn't do it, but I quit anyway since I don't want the scandal to reflect badly on the school." Romulous shrugged, determined to be optimistic like his brother was. "We knew something like this would happen. Nobody keeps the Dark Arts job for more than a year."

"I'm sorry," said Remus quietly. Then he turned to Jessie and Blaise. "But I'm not sorry you two graduated. Well done." His voice was low enough to be considered subdued, though not exactly depressed. Romulous understood why. Sapphire had been with him at the last graduation he'd been to.

Trying to lighten his twin's mood Romulous asked, "Has Amara spoken yet?"

Remus sighed, "No. She's ten months old and should be saying a few words by now. I don't think she can. She's probably mute except for sounds."

"Mute? Really?" asked James, coming over with Sirius and Lily.

"That doesn't mean she's not smart," said Remus quickly. A mature sense of humour did not grow in a child's brain until they were four or five years-old, yet Amara would laugh when he told her jokes. The wolf in her would growl slightly when she was frustrated, but she did not bawl hysterically and throw things. That was healthier way of expressing emotions that most young children had difficulty learning.

Lily and James glanced at each other. Mutes usually were developmentally slow, however, that wasn't what Remus needed to hear.

"I'm sure she's as brilliant as Sapphire," Lily kindly, but untruthfully stated.

Remus nodded firmly, knowing she only said it for his benefit, though he believed it even if no one else did.

Sirius exclaimed, "I bet her first word will be 'Padfoot!'"

Blaise gave Sirius a scornful look. Even though Sirius had been talking to Remus he decided to answer, "That's too complex of a word for an infant." Why did Jessie have to love someone so foolish that he disliked? Why couldn't she have fallen for one of his friends that he knew he could trust with her?

Glaring at Blaise, Sirius responded, "Maybe Amara knows lots of words already and is just waiting for the right moment to talk, and when she does it'll be something special that she says."

Glancing between the two boys worriedly, Minerva suggested, "Sirius, take Jessie away to celebrate now."

Sirius slipped his arm around Jessie's shoulders. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

Jessie leaned against his strong chest and stared into his grey eyes and forgot about Romulous and the important fact that she had just graduated. Nothing besides Sirius mattered. "Let's go."

They went to a deserted park and laid on the grassy ground and looked at the stars.

Jessie stated, "I love Sirius."

"And I love Jessie."

"Thanks, but I meant the star. You know how everyone is born under a zodiac sign? Well, everyone is born under a star too, and the star I was born under is the Dog star named Sirius."

"So, you were born under me?" Sirius asked, amused. He rolled on top of her. "I can think of other ways I'd like you be under me."

Naturally Jessie wanted Sirius, yet she and Sapphire had promised to stay pure until marriage. Of course, Sapphire was gone now and either Jessie or Sirius could be killed at any moment...

Sirius seemed to understand Jessie's lack of an answer. "Saphy told me about the promise. You don't have to break it."

"Are you saying that we shouldn't do it?"

"Not at all." He took a ring out of his pocket and slipped it on her finger. "I'm saying I'll marry you if you accept. Do you?"

Jessie almost laughed. Why would she reject him? She loved him so much that a million ways were running through her mind at that moment of how to say 'YES!' In the end she settled for her trademark: "Affirmative."

He beamed and kissed her.

After five minutes Jessie reluctantly pulled away. "I'd like to consummate our relationship now, but I need to go home; it's getting late."

Sirius picked her up. "Come home with me 'cause time doesn't matter. Our love can make time stand still."

She couldn't argue with that, so she happily let Sirius do as he wished with her.


	41. Love, Marriage, and Buttons

_Minerva's Note_: Sorry it took so long to update; I was visiting my aunt in San Fransisco. Please enjoy and review!

chapter forty-one **Love, Marriage, and Buttons**

"Sirius!" Jessie knocked on the door to his house impatiently the following day. Neko stood beside her pawing the ground in boredom.

He opened the door and grinned when he saw her. "Back for more already?"

She walked inside without answering and Neko followed.

"Jessie, is something wrong?" asked Sirius, confused.

"After we made love last night and I got home late my parents asked me where I'd been. I told them I was with you 'cause we'd gotten engaged. Daddy-doodle must have been reminded of his dead daughter that had gotten engaged so young because he left the room looking depressed. Mum, the parent that hates me, told me that if I was 'going to be a slut then get out.' When I reminded her that she'd accepted Saphy's engagement she screamed, hit me, and told me I had no right to talk about my sister that had broken her heart."

"Saphy broke her heart by dying?"

"She never told Mum and Dad that Remus was a werewolf. After the healers examined Sapphire's corpse they figured out she died because she gave birth to a werewolf. When they told my parents that Mum and Dad blamed Sapphire's death on Remus and their baby. As far as they're concerned they don't have a grandchild."

"That's terrible!" shouted Sirius angrily.

"I know, but remember when I found out Saphy might die 'cause of the pregnancy I was upset with Remus, too? I wanted to blame someone so I could be mad instead of sad. I realised that I was wrong so I stopped, though I don't think my parents will."

"Yeah," Sirius unhappily agreed.

"Anyway, now I'm kicked out of the house. Chrissy and Ryan offered to let me live with them, but I'd rather not."

"You could stay here."

"Thanks, but James and Lily will be newly weds so they'll behave the same way that Chrissy and Ryan would."

"After they get married next week they're getting their own place in Godric's Hollow. We'd have this to ourselves."

Neko growled.

"And Neko, of course."

The tiger purred.

Jessie smiled. "All right."

"Yes!" Sirius picked her up joyfully and carried her to his bedchamber. Neko respectfully stayed out of the room.

Lily and James' wedding had been much more traditional than Remus and Sapphire's. Lily had invited Petunia, yet she did not come and Lily complained about it at the reception after the wedding.

"I was polite enough to invite her; the least she could have done was given me an excuse why she couldn't come. She didn't invite me to her wedding last month."

James put his arm around his bride's waist. "Forget about it. Don't let her ruin your big day."

She kissed James on the nose. "My day is far from ruined."

Peter cringed and ceased eating the wedding cake. "In the name of the Order, stop being so romantic."

Sirius elbowed him. "Wormtail, it's dangerous to mention that in public. Isn't it, Moony?" He looked at Remus, expecting the logical werewolf to back him up.

Remus had been patiently retying Amara's shoelaces for the third time. She insisted on kicking them off so she could dance to the music the floating radio was playing. Most children her age had trouble walking and would never be able to dance. Of course, they were human toddlers. Being a werewolf gave Amara inhuman strength and balance.

"Did you say something?" Remus asked politely, glancing away from the small thin shoelaces that would frustrate most people.

"Not paying attention? That's not like you," said Sirius frowning.

Jessie, who had recently joined the Order of the Phoenix along with Blaise, rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Sirius. He's just in a bad mood 'cause James wouldn't throw a wild bachelor party."

"OK." He finished with Amara's shoelaces. She hugged him around the neck, messing up his hair. Then she kicked off her shoes and ran back onto the dance floor, loving the way her blue and lavender gown twirled around her when she spun in circles.

Remus sighed. "That's my charming princess."

Jessie smiled. "That's my sweet niece."

Lily and James gazed at each other. "That's my attractive love."

Sirius examined his cuff buttons. "That's my adorable brass circle."

Everyone stared at Sirius before bursting into laughter.


	42. Lightening

chapter forty-two **Lightening**

So much death. Ever since the war with Voldemort had begun too many innocent people had been killed. Now, Dumbledore had to inform his wonderful Order members of more lives that had been lost. He especially pitied the young people. James and Lily had only been married for a little over a year and should be enjoying life, not dealing with this.

And the children. They deserved a safer world to grow up in. Amara, who was happily sleeping in her father's arms, was proof of that. Dumbledore had seen her build castles with blocks and make sketches with crayons that would have shamed any eight year-old even though she was two. Still, she had never said a word.

There wasn't any sense in prolonging the delivery of the dreadful news any further. The headmaster stated, "Last night some of our members were a battle with several Death Eaters. Not all of them made it out alive."

Everyone sat up straighter, bracing themselves.

With a sad sigh he continued, "Mr. and Mrs. Potter were killed. Romulous' body was never found, so it is assumed he died too."

Sympathetically, Lily looked at James knowing how he must feel from experience.

Sirius stood up and began punching the wall.

Tears pricked Jessie's eyes. She did not know James and Sirius' parents, but she had gotten to know Romulous very well when he was her professor. Of course, even Jessie knew it was odd for her to be attached to someone who should only have been thought of as a fun teacher.

Blaise's shoulders shook from the effort it took him to keep from weeping. He desperately needed to cry since Responsible Romulous had been his best friend for over a decade, yet he refused to cry in front of the entire Order of the Phoenix. He had too much pride. Glancing at Remus he imagined this must be just as hard on him, though he could not be sure since Remus had his head bowed so his hair fell into his face hiding his reaction.

The door to Minerva's basement clanged open and familiar footsteps were heard coming down the stairs. "Why is everyone so glum? It can't be just because it looks like it might rain."

Jessie gasped with delight and hugged him. "We thought you were dead, Romulous."

"I almost was." He thought Jessie's hair smelled fabulous and he wondered what shampoo she used. "I was unconscious and someone hid my body in the bushes."

"It couldn't have been an Order member or they would've brought you back here," Frank Longbottom pointed out.

"Unless it was one of my parents," added James grimly.

Romulous shook his head. "The Potters were fighting in a different section than me."

Anne Lupin stared at her clever son as if he had suddenly become dumb. "You can't be suggesting that a Death Eater protected you?"

He smiled. "That's exactly what I'm suggesting."

"Rom, not that I'm ungrateful you're alive, but who on that side would do that for you and why?" Remus asked keeping his voice quiet so as not to awaken Amara.

"I was knocked out, so I don't know for sure, but I've got a guess..."

"Well?" Blaise demanded, hiding his relief like he had his grief.

Glancing uncertainly at James and Sirius, Romulous answered, "They wouldn't want me to say." He looked at Dumbledore. "If I'm right I bet this person will be talking to you very soon."

James was staring moodily at the floor of his home later that night as if it was to blame for all of his problems. Lily walked over to him and her very presence pulled him somewhat out of his dark thoughts.

"Did you want something, Flower?"

"I know you have a lot on your mind right now and this might not be the best time to tell you, but it makes me so happy and I think you should know and, um..."

"That was a run-on sentence. You never use those. What's up?"

She held his hand and stared into his hazel eyes behind his glasses. "James, I'm pregnant."

A bolt of bright lightening flashed outside the Potters' window.


End file.
